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INDIAN EPIC POETRY;

BEING

THE SUBSTANCE OF

LECTUKES
RECENTLY GIVEN AT OXFORD
WITH

A FULL ANALYSIS OF THE RAMAYANA

AND OF THE

LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA-BHARATA.

BY,

MONIEE WILLIAMS,

M.A.

OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, OXFORD,

BODEX PROFESSOR OF SAXSKRIT, &C.

tf>

WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,

4,

HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON

AND
20,

SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH

mix

CLXIII.

OXFORD:
PRINTED BY

T.

COMBE,

E.

PICKAED HALL, AND H.LATHAM,

PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.

PREFACE.

lHE

following pages contain the substance of a public

lecture delivered

1862.

They

also

by me

at Oxford on the 9 th of

embody much of the information on

the subject of Indian Epic Poetry, which

veyed to

my

May,

classes in a

more

familiar

have con-

manner during

the past year.

The Ramayana and Maha-bharata, unlike the

and the Odyssey, are

Iliad

closely connected with the present

religious faith of millions

and these

millions, be

it

re-

membered, acknowledge British sway, and have a right

to expect the British public to take

an interest

which are the time-honoured repository of

in

works

their legend-

ary history and mythology, of their ancient customs and

observances, as well as of their most cherished
a

gems

of

PREFACE.

iv

poetry.

It

needs no argument to show that some know-

ledge of the two great Indian Epics ought to be required

who

of all

hold

any other

Service, or in
possible, for

whether in the

in India,

office

capacity.

Nor

is it right,

Civil

or even

Englishmen generally to remain any longer

wholly ignorant of the nature and contents of these poems.

British India

and

is

electricity,

community,

now brought

so close to us

by steam

and the present condition of the Hindu

social, political,

and

religious, forces itself

so peremptorily on our attention, that the duty of study-

ing the past history of our Eastern empire, so far as

it

can be collected from ancient Sanskrit literature, can

no longer be evaded by educated men.

Indian Epics, which, in the absence of

Hitherto the

all real history,

are the only guides to the early condition of our

Hindu

fellow-subjects,

have been sealed books to the majority

of Englishmen.

Continuous translations of works, so

tediously spun out, have never been accomplished

reliable

no

summaries have been printed of either poem *

short outline of the story of the Maha-bharata, written

by

Prof.

Wilson, has been prefixed to Prof. Johnson's useful edition of Selections

and the ab-

from the text of that work.

It

sence of references makes

impossible to verify some of the statements.

For

instance,

whereas

it

Pandu

will

is

it

is,

however, but a bare sketch

described as incapable of succession to the throne

be seen from

my Summary (p.

95) that he not only reigned,

PREFACE.

and such metrical versions of the more beautiful episodes

as have from time to time appeared are so scattered

about in reviews and ephemeral publications, as to be

practically inaccessible.
I trust, then,

may

that the present volume

thing towards supplying a manifest want.

do some-

Its object is

to exhibit, in a popular manner, the general features of

Indian Epic Poetry, to indicate the points of contact and

divergence between that poetry and the Greek epos, and

with a

to furnish the Sanskrit scholar

Ramayana and

full analysis of

the

of the leading story of the Maha-bharata.

In justice to myself

should state that the size of the

book does not represent the amount of labour employed

on

its

had

pages, I have

Sanskrit

but

to the task, if
I

To produce a few

composition.
to

I shall

work

my way

insignificant

through volumes of

not regret the time

have devoted

any useful purpose be thereby served.

should also state that, in writing the following-

lectures,

have had occasion constantly to refer to

the various excellent reviews and

but extended his empire in

all

directions.

be vanquished at dice by Duryodhana

CJdyoga-parva

10,

sec

my Summary,

p.

Again, Yiulhishthira

who appears

103, and

Swargarohanika-parva

critiques

is

whereas he does not play

with Duryodhana, but with S'akuni (Saubala),

form of Dwapara

anonymous

i<>;

p.

to

said to
at

all

have been

23, note: and

;i

compan

PREFACE.

vi

on Sanskrit literature which have appeared from time to

time in India and Europe, and to which

my

obligations.

acknowledge

have, moreover, derived great benefit

from the valuable Sanskrit Texts' of Dr. John Muir, to

'

whom
on my

also I

am

indebted for

many

pertinent criticisms

statements as they passed through the press.

M. W.
Oxford, May 1863.

CONTENTS.
LECTURES ON INDIAN EPIC POETRY.
Page

The Ramayana

The death

of the hermit's son

Episode of Vis'wamitra
Sita's address to her

11

husband

13

Episode of the Ganges

14

The Maha-bharata

16

Single-combat between Bhima and S'alya

The journey

25

of the five brothers towards Indra's heaven

Bhagavad-Gita
Baka-badha, or the Brahman's lament

....

........

29
32

33

The Deluge

34

Story of Savitri and Satyavan

37

The Ramayana and Maha-bharata compared

The Indian Epics contrasted with the

Hindu and

classical

Iliad

39

and Odyssey

mythology

Delineation of character in the Indian

42

47

poems and

in

Homer

53

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMAYANA.

I.

Bala-kanda

II.

III.

60

Episode of Rishyasringa

62

As'wamed^a

63

Ambarisha, Richika, and S'unahs'ephah

66

Ayodhya-kamla

67

Aranya-kanda

71

CONTENTS.

viii

Page
IV. Kishkindhya-kanda

76

V. Sundara-kanda

77

VI. Yuddha-kanda

82

VII. Uttara-kanda

88

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA-BHARATA.

Genealogy of the Lunar Race
I.

91

Adi-parva

II.

94

Sabha-parva

III.

102

Vana-parva

103

IV. Virata-parva

V. Udyoga-parva

104
108

VI. Bhishma-parva

115

VII. Drona-parva

116

VIII. Karna-parva

117

IX. Salya-parva

118

X. Sauptika-parva

121

XI. Stri-parva

123

XII. Santi-parva

124

XIII. Anusasana-parva

126

XIV. Aswamedhika-parva

127

XV.

128

As'rama-vasika-parva

XVI. Mausala-parva

129

XVII. Mahaprasthanika-parva

131

XVIII. Swargarohanika-parva

131

Khila-harivansa-parva

132

ERRATUM.
Page

31, line 7,

for Vaitarini read Vaitarani.

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

IN

India, literature, like the whole face of nature,

fostered in a climate
itself

on a gigantic

is

Poetry, born amid the majestic scenery of the Himalayas, and

scale.

which inflamed the imaginative pow ers, developed

r

with Oriental luxuriance.

Although the Hindus,

like the

Greeks,

have only two great epic poems, namely, the Ramayana and Mahabharata*, yet to compare these with the Iliad and the Odyssey,
to

compare the Indus and the Ganges,

rising in the

is

snows of the

world's most colossal ranges, swollen by numerous tributaries, spread-

ing into vast shallows or branching into deep divergent channels, with

There

the streams of Attica or the mountain-torrents of Thessaly.

in fact,

an immensity of bulk about

ment of Sanskrit
to a

literature,

more limited horizon,

is

which

this, as

to

is,

about every other depart-

a European mind, accustomed

absolutely bewildering.

Nevertheless, a sketch, however imperfect, of the two Indian epics

can scarcely
* I

am

fail

to interest the admirers of

here speaking of that form of epic poetry which

spontaneous as distinguished from

artificial.

Specimens of the more

for all true poetry,

may be

Whether the Indian

even the Iliad can be said to answer Aristotle's

question.

Homer

artificial epic

strict definition

called natural

and

epics (Itihasas) or

of Epos,

is

another

poetry (kavyas) are not wanting in

Sanskrit; ex. gr. the Raghu-vans'a by Kalidasa, on the same subject as the

Ramayana

the Sisupala-badha of Magha, on a subject taken from the 7th chapter of the 2d book
(or Sabha-parva) of the

Maha-bharata

the Kiratarjuniya of Bharavi, on a subject

taken from the 4th chapter of the 3d book (or Vana-parva) of the Maha-bharata

the

Nalodaya, said to be by Kalidasa, and the Naishadha by Sri Harsha, on the Bame
subject as the Nala.

These are

all artificial

learned and critical rather than poetical.

poems written when men began

The

story of

Rama and many

to be

of the

episodes of the Maha-bharata are stock-subjects, which appear over and over again in
the later literature.

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

2
whether European or

must have

Asiatic,

features of resemblance

and

no poems could have achieved celebrity in the East as these have done,

had they not addressed themselves

to

human
I

nature,

and belonging

and

to feelings

alike to

affections

common

Englishmen and Hindus.

propose therefore, before commencing a dry analysis of the Rama-

yana and Maha-bharata, to give a brief general idea of

and contents, comparing them

other,

in

some important

their character

particulars with each

and pointing out the most obvious features of

difference,

which must strike every

who

classical scholar

similarity or

contrasts

them

with the Iliad and the Odyssey.

To begin with

the

Rdmdyana,

said to have

been composed by the

poet Vdimiki, and so called from two Sanskrit words

5

meaning the adventures of Rama (who

(

the Preserver*,

is

the

more ancient of the two Indian epics.

fix the

him).

For centuries

its

we know from the 4th chapter of

minstrels and reciters like the

Greek pa^aSol.

period of the composition of the work as

we now possess

the 1st book that

it

as an incarnation of Vishnu,

a favourite deity in parts of India, especially in

still

existence was probably only oral, and

To

ayana,

Oude and Bahar where Krishna has not supplanted

districts of

This

is

Rama and

it

had

its

with absolute certainty

is

as impossible

We

other portion of Sanskrit literature.

as to settle the date of

can only

make

any

conjectures

from such chronological data as are furnished by internal evidence.

Songs

in celebration of great heroes

quite as early as the

* There are three

Bala-Rama),

all

Homeric poems

Ramas

in

were doubtless current in India

in Greece,

and perhaps

earlier.

Hindu mythology (Parasu-Rama, Rama-chandra, and

three regarded as avatars of Vishnu.

The

last is the

Hindu Hercules,

and, as the elder brother of Krishna, appears frequently in the Maha-bharata. Parasu-

Rama,

as the son of the sage

sition to the military caste.

Jamadagni,

He

is

is

the type of

Brahmanism arrayed

in

oppo-

introduced once into the Ramayana, but only to

exhibit his inferiority to the real hero Rama-chandra, who, as the son of Das'aratha,

a prince of the solar dynasty, typifies the conquering Kshatriyas, advancing towards
the south and subjugating the barbarous aborigines, represented by the

Ravana and

his followers.

demon

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

No

mention

is

regarded as the

Rama

indeed made of
first real

may

the Veda, but he

in

(Kshatriya) hero of the post-Vedic age

be

and

looking to the great simplicity of the style of the Ramayana, the absence
in the purer version of

any

reliable allusion to

Buddhism

as an esta-

blished fact*, and to practices ascertained to have prevailed in India as

early as the fourth century before Christ

the evidence

it

tribes of the north f,

among Brahmans,

J,

must have been current

its

we cannot be

portion of the Ramayana,

is,

observing at the same time

and of that tendency

which, working

Buddhist reformation

It

affords of that independent spirit

if

to

among

sceptical inquiry even

way southwards,
far

wrong

led to the great

in asserting that a great

Ramayana now

not the entire

before us,

in India as early as the fifth century B. C.

of course, a principal characteristic of epic poetry, as distin-

guished from

lyrical, that it

action than internal feelings.

expression of early national

should concern

itself

more with external

It is this

which makes epos the natural

When

centuries of trial have turned

life.

mind inwards, and men begin

the popular

to speculate, to reason, to

elaborate language and cultivate science, there

may be no

poetry, but the spontaneous production of epic song

as for

the military

lack of refined

is

as impossible

an octogenarian to delight in the giants and giant-killers of his

The Ramayana

childhood.

ancient times,

may

then, as reflecting the

Hindu character

be expected to abound in stirring incidents

in

of

exaggerated heroic action.

The main

story of the poem, although often interrupted

episodes which have

by long

bearing on the plot, flows in a more con-

little

tinuous and traceable course than in the Maha-bharata.

It

may be

divided into three principal parts or periods, corresponding to the three

In the

2th chapter of the ist book of the Bengali recension, S'ramanas or

Buddhist mendicants are mentioned, and some verses in a more modern metre have
been added to chapter 109, book

II, in

which Buddha

is

named, but these passages

are evidently later interpolations.

t See the episode of Viswamitra.

X

The speech

of the

Brahman

Javali

Ram.
n

II.

10^

contains infidel doctril

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

chief epochs in the

Rama.

of

and residence

his education

of Ayodhya*

life

his

happy marriage

to Sita,

II.

king

his inauguration as heir-

The circumstances

that led to

his

residence in the forests of

who had been

by

carried off

their

conquest and destruction of Ravana, and his re-

his

of his youthful days

His war with the giants or demons of the south

III.

for the recovery of his wife Sita,

Ravana

and

the description of his exile and

central India.

chief

The account

at the court of his father Das'aratha,

apparent or crown -prince.

banishment

I.

storation to the throne of his father.

In the

two portions of the poem there

first

is

little

extravagance

poet mars the beauty of his

of fiction, but in the third the Indian

descriptions by the wildest exaggeration and hyperbole.

At

commencement we

the

where the gods are met

in

are introduced to the

Hindu Olympus,

solemn conclave, dismayed

of the ten-headed demon-monarch, Ravana,

who from

at the insolence

his island-throne

Ceylon menaced earth and heaven with destruction.

in
his

power lay

in a long course of

Hindu conception gained

for

The

penance*, which according to the

him who

practised

it,

however

designs, superiority to the gods themselves, and enabled

extort from the

genii,

god Brahma

this

remarkable boon

his

he scorned to ask security from

pride,

remained vulnerable from

this

one quarter,

At

found capable of coping with him.

* According to the
deposits in the

Hindu

Ravana

By

As, how-

but omnipotent ascetics

engaging

in

penance and

by human beings.

S'iva

The power gained

as well as

and

it is

man

also,

he

any mortal could be

was

like

making

degrees an enormous credit was accumulated,

which enabled the depositor to draw to the amount of

drafts being refused payment.

to

the request of the godsj%

theory, the performance of penances

bank of heaven.

was so enormous, that gods

if

evil his

that neither gods,

demons, nor giants should be able to vanquish him.

ever^ in

secret of

men

his savings, without fear of his

in this

manner by weak mortals

were equally at the mercy of these

all

remarkable, that even the gods are described as

austerities, in order,

it

may be presumed,

not to be outdone

was so engaged when the god of love shot an arrow

t The address of the alarmed gods to Vishnu

is

at him.

nobly given in the ioth chapter of

the Raghu-vans'a (Kalidasa's epitomized version of the Ramayana).

There

is

a trans-

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Vishnu consents

become mortal

to

for this purpose,

born to Das'aratha, king of Ayodhya (Oude), from

eldest,

Rama-chandra, possessing half the nature of Vishnu

(Bharata) a fourth part; and the other two

Rama and
Mithila*.

had given

is

are taken to the

While yet

He

had a wonderful bow, once the property of

daughter

man who

On

Sita.

Rama

concussion

a stripling,

court of Janaka, king of

brothers

out, that the

could bend

it

his brothers the

not only bends the bow, but snaps

so

that

terrible

whole

the

ground, and the earth quivers as

assembly

whom

thou,

asunder with a

thrown

to

the

fair repre-

hail

surveys this world from clime to clime,

:

corrupt desires, no passions prone

Unconquered Conqueror

Still at

it

is

their address

Thyself immeasurable in space or time

Though

bow

than 5000

threefold might and splendour veil,

Maker, Preserver, and Destroyer

Thy gaze

and

a mountain were rent in twain.

The gods thus commence

sentation of the original.

To no

less

Review (XLV) which, though incomplete, gives a

lation in the Calcutta

"O

if

S'iva,

should win his beau-

Rama and

the arrival of

the

the second

his

brought on an eight-wheeled platform, drawn by no

men.

(Lakshmana and Satrughna)

sharing the remaining quarter between them.

tiful

and four sons are

his three wives

in

one form

Thy

Thou

Infinite
veil'st

pleasure every form

Unknown

Thy might

is

Thine

divine,

Pure crystals thus prismatic hues assume,

As varying

Men

lights,

and varying

think Thee absent

Thou

Pitying those sorrows which

tints illume

Thou

* It

is

unchanging old without decay

things who Thy praise can state
:

Thou knowest
Createdst

ne'er canst fear

Unsordid penance Thou alone canst pay

Unchanged

art ever near

all

all

things, Thyself uncreate."

evident that Mithila, situated quite towards the east, was an Aryan oountry

at this time, for

and Vedas.

Janaka

is

described (Ram.

I.

12) as conversant with all the Sfcstna

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

6
Sita thus

throne,

On

becomes the wife of Rama.

capital preparations are

when

made

his return to his father's

for his inauguration, as successor to the

the mother of one of his brothers (Bharata), jealous of

the preference shewn to Rama, demands of the king the fulfilment of

a promise,

made

Rama and

Rama,

promise of this kind in eastern countries

and the king being required

quite inviolable;

son

would grant her any

to her in former years, that he

two boons she asked.

instal Bharata, is forced to

to banish his favourite

comply.

and

therefore, with his wife Sita

is

his brother

Lakshmana

are

banished; and the heart-broken king pines away in inconsolable anguish.

Here occurs a touching episode (Ram.

The

II. 63).

king, in the midst

of his

despondency, confesses that his present bereavement

ment

for a

is

a punish-

deed of blood committed by himself accidentally in his

youthful days.

Thus

it

happened*:

One day when rains refreshed the earth, and caused my heart to swell with
When, after scorching with his rays the parched ground, the summer sun
Had passed towards the south ; when cooling breezes chased away the heat,
And grateful clouds arose when frogs and pea-fowl sported, and the deer

joy,

Seemed drunk with glee, and all the winged creation, dripping as
Plumed their dank feathers on the tops of wind-rocked-trees, and
Covered the mountains

till

To
Or

like serpents in their course

to breathe the

seek for game,

air,

went

forth,

stones and red as

to drink.

Quickly I took

my

showers

dawn with mineral

then at that charming season

with

bow and arrow

in

my

earth,

I,

hand,

haply by the river-side a buffalo

elephant or other animal might cross, at eve,

Coming

if

drowned,

they looked like watery heaps, and torrents poured

Down from their sides, filled with loose

Winding
Longing

if

falling

Then

in the

my

path,

dusk I heard the sound of gurgling water

bow, and aiming toward the sound, shot

cry of mortal agony came from the spot,

human

off

the dart.

voice

Was heard, and a poor hermit's son fell pierced and bleeding in the stream.
" Ah wherefore then, he cried, am I a harmless hermit's son struck down 1
!

Hither to this lone brook I came at eve to

* I translate as nearly as I

fill

my

water-jar.

can word for word, in a metre resembling the sixteen-

syllable heroic verse of the original.

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

By whom have
Not for myself

or

my own

Who

my

death.

perish in

I been smitten

whom

fate,

but for

Ah

what

have I offended

my

will

Who
And

to

and

I grieve

blind,
pair,

barbed dart has pierced

voice, I Dasaratha,

any human creature, young or

my bow

Palsied with fear;

this

Hearing that piteous

meant no harm

Oh

parents, old

be the end of that loved

Long guided and supported by my hand?

Both me and them."

I approached the place in horror; there with

old,

my

and arrows dropped from

became

senseless hands;

dismay I saw,

Stretched on the bank, an innocent hermit-boy, writhing in pain and smeared

With dust and

blood, his knotted hair dishevelled, and a broken jar

Lying beside him.

Fixed
"

How

Me

I stood petrified and speechless

full his eyes,

and then,

as if to

have I wronged thee, monarch

Expecting

And

my

return,

agonizing

this

and long

Go

fears.

to

one arrow

father,

they,

will cherish

my

father

he on me

inmost

that thy cruel

a poor hermit's son, born in the forest

Hast thou transfixed with

my

burn

hope

said,

hand has smitten me

mother, child

my

parents, sit at

a prey

him

tell

he

soul,

of

my

home

to thirst

fate,

Lest his dread curse consume thee, as the flame devours the withered wood.

But

first in

pity

draw thou

forth the shaft that pierces to

my

heart,

And checks the gushing life-blood, as the bank obstructs the bounding
He ceased, and as he rolled his eyes in agony, and quivering writhed
Upon the ground, I slowly drew the arrow from the poor boy's side.
Then with a piteous

stream."

look, his features set in terror, he expired.

Distracted at the grievous crime, wrought by

Sadly I thought within myself,

how

my

hand unwittingly

might repair the wrong.

best I

Then took the way he had directed me towards the hermitage.

There I beheld his parents, old and blind; like two clipped wingless

birds

Sitting forlorn, without their guide, awaiting his arrival anxiously,

And, to beguile their weariness, conversing of him tenderly.

Quickly they caught the sound of footsteps, and I heard the old

man

say,

With chiding voice, " Why hast thou lingered, child 1 Quick give us both
A little water. Long forgetful of us, in the cooling stream
Hast thou disported come in for thy mother yearneth for her son.
;

If she or I in ought have caused thee pain, or

Think on thy hermit's duty of forgiveness

art the refuge of us refugeless

Why

art thou silent? Speak!

ceased,

Collecting

and I
all

my

spoken hasty words,

bear them not in mind.

the eyes
thee
stood paralysed
by an

Thou

He

to drink

of thy blind sire.

Bound up
till

in

are both thy parents* lives.*

effort resolutely

powers of utterance, with faltering voice

I said.

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

" Pious and noble hermit

am

not thy son

am

the king

Wandering with bow and arrow by a stream, seeking for game, I pierced
Unknowingly thy child. The rest I need not tell. Be gracious to me."
Hearing

my

words, announcing his bereavement, he remained

pitiless

Senseless awhile; then drawing a deep sigh, his face

He
"

me

spake to

him

as I approached

Hadst thou not come

suppliantly,

all

All bloody though he be, and

The

last time,

pair, led

by

This ill-fated deed

thou not been spared,

to the place

we must look upon* our son

Then weeping bitterly

lifeless,

and clasp him

my

tears,

said,

thyself, to tell the awful tale, its load of guilt

Had crushed thy head into ten thousand fragments.

Was wrought by thee unwittingly, king, else hadst
And all the race of Raghavas had perished. Lead us
For the

bathed in

and slowly

in our arms."

hand, came to the spot and

fell

upon

their son.

by the touch, the father cried, " My child, hast thou no greeting
No word of recognition wherefore liest thou here upon the ground
Art thou offended'? or am I no longer loved by thee my son
Thrilled

for us

See here thy mother.

Why

Thou wert ever

Who now

will bring

How, weak and

Stay

Go

me

speak one tender word.

sastra in the early

will

sad, deserted

me

by our

child,

shall

bitterly lamenting, he

like a cherished guest?

stay with thy parents yet one day,

Forlorn

King

the mansions of the

performed the funeral

rites

The

father

one
:

child,

and thou hast made

me

I shall feel no pain in death.

That sorrow

for a child shall

childless.

But thy

of death."

then turning

Towards me thus addressed me, standing reverently near

this

" I had

Now

struck

banished

one day bring thee also to the grave."

* This

with remorse

Rama
is

down

strike

requital be

After narrating this affecting incident of his early

ratha^

hear

without protector in the wood,

we both depart toward

Soon

shall I

aged mother, pining for her son %

both go with thee on the dreary way.

Thus
But

Whom

morning hours

roots and fruits to feed

blind, can I support thy

not yet to Death's abode

To-morrow we

And

me %

wilt thou not embrace

Reading again the sacred

dutiful towards us both.

and sorrow^ sickens

establishes himself with Sita

literally translated.

It is well

known

and

life,

and

king Dasa-

dies f.

his brother

that blind people

The

Laksh-

commonly

talk

of themselves as able to see.

t His body

is

burnt with

much pomp

and we may note,

quity of the poem, that his widows are not burnt with him.

as a proof of the anti-

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

mana
ried

in the
off

Dandaka

forest near the

Godavari

There Siia

*.

Upon

by Ravana^ the demon-king of Ceylon.

makes an

monkeys, or

alliance with Sugriva, king of the

car-

is

this,

Rama

foresters,

and

by them and by Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana t, invades

assisted

the capital of the ravisher, slays Ravana himself, and after recovering
Sita returns to

Such

Ayodhya, of which he assumes the sovereignty.

withstanding
foundation

wild

its

exaggerations, rests,

of historical

truth.

It

remote period, probably not long

way

would be

monkeys

of the south into

lapping demons (called Rakshasas).

*

The Dandaka

forest

ing to the Godavari.

tribes

(who

are

t Vibhishana

may

a bold

have attempted to

deified J, the wild

poetically converted into

savage aborigines

some

settlement of the i^ryan

hill-tribes,

Vindhya and neighbouring

of the

on

that at

The

heroic

would naturally become the theme of songs and

ballads, the hero himself

would be

likely

into the peninsula of India as far as Ceylon.

exploits of the chief

foresters

probability,

all

body of invaders, headed by

and aided by the barbarous

force their

in

certainly

is

after the

races in the plains of the Ganges, a

leader,

Ramayana; which, not-

a brief sketch of the story of the

is

is

(j,

assisted him,

and the powerful but

many-headed ogres and bloodThese songs would

described as beginning south of the

The whole

mountaineers and

who

hills,

at

first

Jumna and

be

extend-

of that country was a wilderness, inhabited by savage

spoken of as Rakshasas) and infested by wild beasts.

is

of the Rakshasas.

described by his sister S'lirpanakha, as having forsaken the practices

Dr. Muir thinks that he

may

represent a southern tribe which had

been converted to Brahmanism, or had adopted Brahmanical usages. Yibhishanas'cha

dharmatma Rakshasachara-varjitah. Ram.

to his brother
X Heroism,
in India.

Ravana;

He

III. 23.

Maha-bhar.

III.

He was

15913

undaunted bravery, and personal strength

It is

recorded that a

John Nicolson, one

Seyn.

see also

number

of the bravest

of

evidently a great contrast

18.

will

always find worshippers

Hindus commenced worshipping the

late

and noblest of men, under the name of Nikkil

endeavoured to put a stop to the absurdity by having some of them

punished, but they persisted in their worship notwithstanding.

It

shasas,

would be mutual

who

to call

them monkeys

out of mere contempt.

The

represented the savage and ferocious aborigines of India (and are some-

10

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

the property of the

Kshatriya or fighting caste, whose deeds they

who aimed

celebrated; but the ambitious Brahmans,

and

at religious

supremacy, w ould soon see the policy of collecting the rude

T

intellectual

ballads which they could not suppress,

own purposes

and moulding them

to their

*.

This task was committed to a poet writing under their influence.

Those ballads which described too plainly the independence of the

military caste,

and

their successful opposition to the sacerdotal,

times called andrya,

'

base-born/ in opposition to dry a), had been gradually driven

southwards by the Aryans, but

clear that they

it is

They

Rig-veda was composed.

at the time the

were

by monstrous

modified, obscured by allegory, or rendered improbable

made

great resistance in the north

are there

spoken of (under the name

of Dasyus, Yatudhanas, &c.) as monstrous in form, godless, haters of Brahmans,

disturbers of sacred rites, inhuman, eaters of

Sanskrit texts,

II.

and thick

black, with woolly hair

description

is

human and

In the Ramayana

p. 435.

taken from Ram.

III.

lips
i.

(Muir

22: "

(III.

terrific

perpetrate the greatest outrages.

they delight in terrifying the devotees.

vessels (s'rug-bhandam), pollute the

blood.

They

said

(Ram.

is

They harass the devotees

testify their

their shapes

They

Rakshasas of various

cast

and hiding

away the

cooked oblations, and

defile

Ill.vii. 5

Muir

II.

427) to be "like a mountain-peak, with long legs,

The Nishadas

in describing races

unknown

&c, Homer and

like

Death

race.

In the same way,

to the Greeks, such as the Cyclopes, Laestrygones, Cen-

other Grecian writers are given to exaggeration, and relate the

fables.

At the very

poem there is clear evidence that however the original

may have belonged to the Kshatriya caste, the poem was

outset of the

songs of the Ramayana

moulded

&c,

of the Puranas, though described as dwarfish,

have similar features, and no doubt intended for the same

and

the offerings with

utter frightful sounds in the ears of the faithful." Viradha, a Rakshasa,

.

with an open mouth."

most absurd

in the thickets

sacrificial ladles

a huge body, a crooked nose, hideous eyes, a long face, pendent belly,

tauri,

in the

abominable cha-

These base-born wretches (anarya)

displays.

Changing

See Muir,

The following

pp. 426. 437).

II.

These shapeless and ill-looking monsters

by various cruel and

racter

horse-flesh.

15) they are described as

Men -devouring

shapes and wild-beasts dwell in this vast forest.

settlements.

i.

into its present

the seat of his empire

form under

is

direct sacerdotal influence.

King Das'aratha

at

described as surrounded by wise Brahmans, who, as his

ministers, direct all the affairs of his government.

(I. vii. 2,

&c.)

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Any

mythological embellishments.

Thus when Dasaratha

glossed over, or mystified.

wood, the dying youth

is

cide,

circumstances which appeared to

Brahmanical system were speciously explained away,

militate against the

he

11

made

is

to explain that,

kills

although a hermit's son,

no Brahman, thereby relieving the king from the

Manu was

which according to

(Manu VIII.

or the next

uncertainty

is

in this

world

Again, the account of Ramathe mythical

champion of the

slurred over and surrounded with a haze of mystic

while the interesting episode which relates at

Brahmani-

guilt of

unpardonable either

381. XII. 55).

chandra's victory over Parasu-Rama

sacerdotal caste *

the boy in the

mitra's quarrel with the great saint Vasishtha,

full

Viswa-

and the success of the

former, though a Kshatriya, in elevating himself to a Brahman's rank,

introduces the wildest hyperbole, with the manifest object of investing

Brahman with unapproachable grandeur, and

the position of a

deter-

ring others from attempts in the same direction f.

* In the later

mythology Parasu-Rama

is

always represented as a previous incar-

nation of Vishnu, though his divinity does not appear to be clearly recognised in the

At any

Ramayana.

rate, before

incarnation challenged another,

he challenged Rama-chandra, that

we must suppose

Parasu-Rama, the ex-incarnation,

first.

of Rama-chandra, but there

Brahmanical champion.

is

no very

striking

him

Magadha

left

the

compelled to acknowledge the superiority

intelligible

account of the victory over the

senseless.

Rama

is

described as shooting arrows at Parasu-

See Wilson's Uttara-Rama-charitra,

t Vis'wamitra, son of Gadhi, was a prince of the lunar

the district of

had

In the Maha-bharata, on the other hand, which has less

uniformly the stamp of Brahmanism,

Rama, and

is

before one

is,

that the divine essence

(or Patna).

He had

p.

299, note.

race, sovereign of Kanoj.

and

a tremendous conflict with the brahman

Vasishtha for the possession of the cow of plenty (Kama-dhenu, also called S'avala).

which no doubt

cow

typified the earth (go) or India.

At the command of Vasishtha, the

created hordes of barbarians, such as Pahlavas or Persians, S'akas or Scythians,

Yavanas or Greeks, Kambojas, &c, by whose aid Vasishtha conquered Vis'wamitra.

The

latter,

convinced of the superior power inherent in Brahmanism, determined to

raise himself to that dignity;

object,

g]

and the Ramayana records how.

in

order to effect this

he increased the rigour of his austerities for thousands of years. See

65.

The

ascetics, did

gods,

who had

what they could

\\a\u.

I.

hard struggle to hold their own against over-zealous

to interrupt

him, and partially succeeded.

:

Viswamitra

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Notwithstanding these and other even greater drawbacks, such as

that of extreme diffuseness, there

is

not in the whole range of Sanskrit

more charming poem than the Ramayana.

literature a

and simplicity of

purity, clearness,

true poetic feeling with which

its

its

classical

exquisite touches of

style, the

abounds,

it

The

graphic descriptions of

heroic incidents and nature's grandest scenes, the deep acquaintance

it

displays with the conflicting workings and most refined emotions of

the

human

heart, all entitle

to

it

rank among the most beautiful com-

positions that have appeared at any period or in

and delightful garden; here and there allowed

like a spacious

wdld, but teeming with fruits

and even

The

its

and

Rama

is

nobly pourtrayed.

We

human.

unselfish to be

must

nature,

we

more than

heroic,

wife, love for his brothers,

is

When

he

falls

all

whole troop of

when the gods

still

murmur

When

racter. (See

by

deities.

At

least

we

When

nymph Menaka,

lips.

sent by

them

his father

In noble

to call back

He

ascetic

was too much

obtained complete power over his passions, and

when

new heavens and

the celestial host thought

and make him a Brahman.

Yuddha-kanda,
of

it.

daughter (Sakuntala) was the result of this tem-

identified with the deity,

him an incarnation

from his super-

refused to brahmanize him, he began creating

in,

half

a victim to the spite of his

escapes his

gods, and had already manufactured a few stars,

prudent to give

is

resentful feelings,

However, in the end, the obstinate old

porary backsliding.

that he

not generally represented as

his thoughts to sensual objects.

flashes

second w ife, he cherishes no sense of wrong.

yielded for a time to the seductions of the

it

mind

obedience, tender attachment to his

filial

decides on banishing him, not a

new

It is

and freedom from

can appreciate and admire*.

for the

delightful pathways.

nobleminded, pious, and virtuous man, whose

bravery, unselfish generosity,

father's

poem he

run

to

perennial streams,

are not often blinded or bewildered

in the earlier portion of the

It is

only too consistently

in fact bear in

Yet though occasionally dazzled by

human

by

flowers, watered

most tangled jungle intersected with

character of

a god.

any country.

119.)

he seems himself unconscious of his true cha-

It is

Vishnu may be

even possible that the passages which make

later interpolations.

1J

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

language he expresses his resolution to

sacrifice

As

allow his parent to break his pledged word*.

Her pleadings

paragon of domestic virtues.

himself rather than

to

Sita,

she

for permission to

pany her husband into banishment breathe such noble devotion

and master, that

lord

wife

it

may be worth

must share her husband's

My

fate.

Deserted by her lord, a wife

duty

is

my

art

king,

my

my

guide,

to her

to follow thee
itself.

like a miserable corpse.

is

Close as thy shadow would I cleave to thee in this

Thou

while to subjoin a few extracts f.

Apart from thee, I would not dwell in heaven

"Where'er thou goest.

is

accom-

only refuge,

my

life

and

hereafter.

divinity.

It is my fixed resolve to follow thee.

If thou must wander forth
Through thorny trackless forests, I will go before thee, treading down
The prickly brambles to make smooth thy path. Walking before thee, I
Shall feel no weariness
the forest-thorns will seem like silken robes;
The bed of leaves a couch of down. To me the shelter of thy presence
:

and paradise

Is better far than stately palaces,

Protected by thy arm, gods, demons,

With

thee

If given

I'll

live contentedly

by thy hand, they

Roaming with

Time would

me

fail, if

would be to me a heaven of

we were

to attempt

bliss.

even the briefest epitome of

One has been

already noticed.

the story of the Ganges (Ram.

is

I.

3644).

persists in this resolution, notwithstanding the entreaties of his

Kaus'alya, the taunting remarks of his fiery brother

who

fear for the safety of his wife Sita,

after the death of his father,

urge

Sweet or not sweet,

hell itself

Another curious legend

He

have no power to harm me.

fruits.

be like the food of life.

episodes of the Ramayana.

the

on roots and

will to

itself.

shall

thee in desert wastes, a thousand years will be a day

Dwelliug with thee, e'en

all

men

Rama

to return to

Lakshmana, and

his

mother

own anxious

determines on accompanying him.

when Bharata makes an

Ayodhya and accept

Again,

expedition into the forest to

the government, and

when

all

the

zens add their entreaties, and the atheistical Javali his sophistical arguments,
replies,

There

sacred of

promise to

all

is

nothing greater than truth; and truth should be esteemed the most

things.

my

father's

The Vedas have

commands,

ness nor blind ignorance, break

them

found

in Corresio's

their sole foundation in truth.

will neither,

down

have translated these nearly

will lie

citi-

Rama

the barrier of truth."

literally,

Ramayana.

Devoted by

through covet ousness nor forgot fulII. cix. 17.

but not consecutively.

vol. II.

p.

74

et

Beq.

The substam

14

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Ganga, the personified Ganges, was the eldest daughter of Himavat,

Uma. Sagara, a king of

who were directed by

lord of mountains, her younger sister being

Ayodhya, of the

had 60,000

solar race,

their father to look for a horse

sons,

which had been stolen by a Rakshasa

an Aswa-medha or horse -sacrifice.

at

Having

searched the earth, they proceeded to dig

up

first

without success

the ground towards the

Meeting with the sage Kapila, they accused him of

infernal regions.

the theft, which enraged him to such a degree, that without more ado

he reduced them

all

Sagara5 s grandson sometime afterwards

to ashes.

found the ashes, and commenced performing the funeral obsequies of

was

his relatives with water, but

told that only

Ganga could do

Neither Sagara, however, nor his grandson

with her sacred stream.

could devise any means for effecting the descent of the heavenly
It

was reserved

down

to bring
first

her

for his

river.

great-grandson, Bhagiratha, by his austerities

the sacred stream from heaven.

with great fury on the head of

S'iva,

In her descent she

who had promised

fell

to break

thinking to sweep him down to the infernal regions.

fall,

this

Siva,

however, quelled the pride of the goddess, and compelled her to wander

many

for

Then, by further

years in the tresses of his hair.

austerities,

Bhagiratha forced her to flow over the earth, and to follow him thence
to the ocean (therefore called Sagara),
(Patala),

and thence

where she watered the ashes of Sagara' s sons, and became the

means of conveying
the Ganges
in its course

is
it

Hence

their souls to heaven.

This river

Bhagirathi.

inundated the

sacrificial

fiction, the description of the

common name

for

also called Jahnavi, because

is

ground of the sage Jahnu, who

thereupon without any ceremony drank up

discharge them again from his ears.

is

to the infernal regions

its

waters, but consented to

Notwithstanding

descent of the river and

its

all

this wild

rushing course

highly poetical*.

Perhaps, however, the most noticeable episode

before referred
*

The

to,

beautiful translation of

in the Maha-bharata,

is

that of Viswamitra,

which contains many remarkable legends.

Dean Milman

Vana-parva 9920, &c.

is

well

known.

The

story

Before
is

also told

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

passing to the Maha-bharata,

it

may be

15

well to state that the

Ramayana

(exclusive of the Uttara-kanda) consists of about 50,000 lines, or 24,000

The

verses.

of

its

great flexibility of Sanskrit, and the easy unfettered flow

common

heroic metre *, offered great facilities for interpolations,

and

alterations,

versions of the

which

is

poem

there are two distinct recensions or

one belonging to Benares and the north-west,

probably the nearest extant approach to the primitive text

the other, which

Bengal proper f.

less

is

It is

Ramayana,

of the

Hence

additions.

in

pure and more

'

spun out/

probable that the entire

Rama

which

last

to Calcutta

and

book, or Uttara-kanda,

receives adoration as a god,

and

is

even identified with the Supreme J, and the introductory chapters, giving
*

The metre

written

is

in

which the greater part of the Ramayana and Maha-bharata

common

the

s'loka (see

my

Sanskrit

Grammar,

syllables out of sixteen in each line are really fixed.

or short.

The Indra-vajra

variety of Trishtubh

Maha-bharata, and in the Ramayana,

Jagati (Gram. 937. 941).
latter twelve

The former

at the

is

The

935), in

others

is

which only four

may be

either long

however frequently used

in the

end of the chapters, we have often the

of these has eleven syllables to the half-line, the

and the quantity of every

syllable being fixed generally interferes with

the simplicity and freedom of the style.

t With regard to the Bengal (Gauda) recension,

where there

is little

demand

for

it

may be

observed that in Bengal,

MSS., learned men have been

their

own

scribes,

and

have always tampered more freely with original texts than the unlearned copyists of
In 1806 and 1810 Carey and

the north.

Marshman published

the text and transla-

tion of two books out of the seven which complete this recension; but here and there

they have followed the northern. Twenty years afterwards Augustus William Schlegel
published the text of two books of the northern version, with a Latin translation of the
first;

and

after another interval of

twenty years Signor Gorresio, a native of Sardinia,

published, at the expense of Charles Albert, a very

handsome

edition of all the

recension, except the 7th book, or Uttara-kanda, with an Italian translation

Bengal
but the

greater portion of the older and purer recension of Benares, the editing of which

commenced by

Schlegel, remained in

MSS.

of this recension, with a commentary, has

printed,
at

am

Bombay,

sorry to say, in imitation of a

presume

till

quite recently.

now reached

MS.

It

was

copy of the whole

the Bodleian from Calcutta,

has also been printed very lately

in a similar style.

X See Uttara-kanda, ch. 123.

kanda, ch. 119, but this chapter

He
may

is

also so identified in the 6th book, Of Ymlilha-

be an interpolation.

16

INDIAN EPIC POETEY.

summary

of the plot, are comparatively

interpolations,

modern appendages.

These

spinnings out/ and variations do not impair the sacred

poem

character of the

veneration in which

in the eyes of the natives.

may

held

it is

Some

idea of the

be formed from the verses at the

end of the introductory chapter, which declare that " he who reads
and repeats

and exalted with

sins,
I

come now

Brahma

2d chapter

also in the

presence of the poet Valmiki

all

his

is,

the

achievements, mutual rivalries, and

describes the

probability later in date than the

*

from

liberated

Maha-bharata or Great Bharateid, that

contests of the descendants of Bharataf.

all

is

his posterity to the highest heaven*."

all

to the

poem which

great

Ramayana

holy life-giving

this

made

is

This huge

*
:

which

is

in

consists of about

to utter the following prophecy in the

Yavat sthasyanti girayah

Ramayana-katha lokeshu pracharishyati

epic,

Ramayana J, and

As long

as the

saritas'cha mahitale

mountains and

continue on the surface of the earth, so long shall the story of the

Tavad

rivers shall

Ramayana be

current in the world.'

t The
'

title

of the

poem

is

Maha-bharatam, a compound word in the neuter gender,

of which,

mahd

a descendant of Bharata.'

It is

not

uncommon

some word

like

kdvyam,

the

first

member

in the neuter gender,

(for mahat),

means

'

'

great,'

and the second, bhdrata,

in Sanskrit to put the title of a

a poem,' being understood.

word with which Maha-bharatam agrees may be

either dlchydnam,

'

book

Here the

a historical poem,'

or yuddham, 'war.'
It is curious that in the

Maha-bharata
the

poem

ther.

is

Here

is

Sangraha-parva, or introductory summary

said to be derived

the passage (which

264), the

word

'

described as outweighing
is

(1.

from mahd-bhdra, having great weight,' because

all

the four Vedas and mystical writings toge-

do not pretend to explain grammatically)

Ekatas

chaturo vedan Bharatam chaitad ekatah Pura kila suraih sarvaih sametya tulaya
dhritam, Chaturbhyah Sarahasyebhyo vedebhyo hy adhikam yada, Tada prabhriti loke

'smin Maha-bharatam uchyate.

% That at least a portion
story of

yana

Rama

itself;

in the

is

later

than the Ramayana can hardly be doubted, as the

3d book (159 13) appears to be an analysis made from the Rama-

and that the greater part

is

later

than Alexander's invasion

jectured from the frequent references to the Yavanas or Greeks

afterwards applied to the

frontier of India,

Muhammedans), who must have come

and penetrated here and there

the principal events of the poem.

(i. e.

may be

con-

Ionians, a term

into contact with the

into the interior at a period prior to

It is also noticeable that in

the

Ramayana

the

17

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

220,000 long

lines, is rather a cyclopaedia

of

Hindu mythology, legend-

poem with

ary history, and philosophy, than a

a single subject.

It is

divided into eighteen books, nearly every one of which would form a

and the whole

large volume,

is

Vedas and Puranas*), a name derived from

or supposed compiler of the

a Sanskrit verb meaning 'to

name Homer

Many
as

any

a vast thesaurus of national legends, said

been collected and arranged by Vyasa (the Hindu Pisistratus

to have

is

alleged

fit

by some

together* or

come from

to

'

arrange t;' just as the

6/ulov

and apw.

of the legends are Vedic, and of great antiquity

Ramayana, or even older

in the

In

fact,

the entire

quite as old

while others, again, are

more modern, probably interpolated during the

Christian era.

first

work may be compared

The

fused congeries of geological strata.

much

centuries of the

principal story,

to a con-

which occupies

wives of Das'aratha do not burn themselves with their husband, whereas in the

Maha-

bharata, Madri, the most dearly loved of the two wives of Pandu, really

herself

a Sati.
* It

(I.

makes

4896.)

may seem

strange that the compilation of such very different works as the

Vedas, Puranas, and Maha-bharata should be attributed to the same person.

trate the relation

To

illus-

supposed by learned natives to subsist between these productions,

here give an extract from the Vedartha-prakas'a of

the 14th century) on the Taittiriya Yajur-veda (p.

1.

Dr. Muir in his Sanskrit texts, vol. III. p. 47. " It

Madhava

A'charya (who lived in

Bibliotheca Indica), translated by

may be

said that all persons what-

women and Sudras, must be competent students of the Veda, since the
aspiration after good (ishtam me syad iti) and the deprecation of evil are common to
all mankind.
But it is not so. For though the expedient exists, and women and
S'udras are desirous to know it, they are debarred by another cause from being comever, including

petent students of the Veda.

only

who have been

The

scripture (s'astra)

intimates thereby that the

same study would be a cause of unhappiness

S'udras (who are not so invested).

How

cover the means of future happiness

works.

Hence

it

which declares that those persons

invested with the sacrificial cord are competent to read the Veda,

has been said,

'

to

women and

then are these two classes of persons to dis-

We

answer, from the Puranas and other such

Since the triple

Veda may not be heard by women.

Sudras, and degraded twice-born men, the Maha-bharata was, in his benevolence,
composed by the Muni.' "

t Vivyasa vedtin yasmat sa tasmad vyasa

iti

smritah.

Malui-bhar.

I.

2417.

18

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

more than a

little

fifth

of the whole, forms the lowest layer*; but this

has been so completely overlaid by successive incrustations, and the

mass so compacted together, that the

original substratum

is

not always

If the successive layers can ever be critically ana-

clearly traceable.

lysed and separated, the more ancient from the later additions, and the
historical

element from the purely fabulous,

light will

be thrown on a subject

following

is

still

religious

and

Ramayana,

political.

a brief outline of the leading story of the

bharata, which, like that of the

fact

expected that

veiled in great obscurity t

mean, of course, the early history of India, both

The

may be

it

Maha-

probably founded on

is

the rival families representing different branches of a warlike tribe

of Sanskrit-speaking settlers called Kurus,

and would naturally come into

together,

who may have

entered India

collision at their first halting-

place on the Ganges, their jealousies ending in an internecine civil war.

If the legendary history of India
originally

may be

two dynasties were

trusted,

dominant in the north, called Solar and Lunar, under

numerous petty princes held

authority,

and to

whom

whom

they acknowledged

The most celebrated of the solar line, which commenced in

Ikshwaku and reigned in Oude, was the Rama of the Ramayana. Under

fealty.

this

dynasty the Brahmanical system gained ascendancy more rapidly

and completely than under the lunar kings in the more northern
tricts,

where fresh

spirit

among

arrivals of martial tribes preserved

Although the Maha-bharata

the idea of
the

number

these, the

its

an independent

the population already settled in that district

famous of the lunar race who reigned

is

so

work of one

of the episodes which, after

story of the Maha-bharata

all,
is

J.

The most

neighbourhood of Hasti-

much longer than

being, like that poem, the

main

in the

dis-

the

Ramayana

as to preclude

or even a few authors, yet

causes the disparity.

it is

Separated from

not longer than the other epic,

f Notwithstanding the valuable researches of Prof. Lassen of Bonn.

X

Weber

(Ind. Stud.

cient customs,

I.

220) remarks,

"The

north-western tribes retained their an-

which those who migrated to the east had

at

one time shared.

The

former kept themselves free from the influences of the hierarchy and caste, which arose

among

the latter as a consequence of their residence

among

the aborigines."

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

10

napur or ancient Delhi, was Bharata, whose authority

extended over a great part of India, and from

whom

said to have

is

India

to this

is

day called by the natives, Bharata-varsha.

'This Bharata, then, was an ancestor of Kuru, the twenty-third in

whom was Vyasa

descent from
bharata),

though

who had two

(the

supposed author of the Maha-

sons, Dhritarashtra

younger brother Pandu, and undertook

his

hundred sons the

were,

(i.e.

3d, Arjuna*.

);

to

'firm in battle );

own

educate with his

These

reputed sons of his brother.

Yudhishthira

ist,

awful one

five

The former,

and Pandu.

assume the government when resigned by

blind, consented to

2d,

Bhima

five

sons

(i.e.

'the

All these three were born from Pandu' s wife,

Dharma,

Pritha or Kunti, but were really her children by three gods,

Vayu, and Indra respectively.

4th and 5th, Nakula and Sahadeva, born

from his wife Madri, but really her children by the As'wini-kumaras.

The

characters of the five Pandavas are

drawn with much

artistic

delicacy of touch, and maintained consistently throughout the poem.

The

Yudhishthira,

eldest,

is

the

Hindu

ideal of excellence

a pattern

of justice, integrity, calm passionless composure, chivalrous honour, and

Bhima

cold heroism f.

is

a type of brute courage

and strength

he

of gigantic stature, impetuous, irascible, somewhat vindictive, and

is

cruel even to the verge of ferocity,

'terrible J.

But

making him,

he has the capacity for

warm

as his

name

devoted in his affection for his mother and brothers.

more

to the

European standard of

think

probable that the

it

straight, steadfast, upright,'

perfection.

am

it

rij,

'

to be

differently.

He

t Yudhishthira was probably of commanding stature and imposing presence.

is

is

rises

be regarded

the root

aware that others explain

and

Arjuna

He may

name 'Arjuna' may come from

although

implies,

unselfish love,

described as Maha-sinha-gati, 'having a majestic lion-like gait/ with a Wellington-

like profile

X It
his

(Pralambojjwalacharu ghona) and long lotus-eyes (kamalayat&ksha).

would appear that

name Vrikodara,

'

his great strength

had to be kept up by plenty of food

told that at the daily meals of the five brothers, half of the whole dish

given to Bhima.

wolf-stomached,' indicated a voracious appetite; and we are

(Xdi-parva, 7161.)
i)

had

to

he

20

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

as the hero of the Maha-bharata*, of undaunted bravery, generous,

modest f, with refined and

and

affectionate as a

arms and

less in

delicate sensibilities, tender-hearted, forgiving,

woman, yet of superhuman

amiable, noble-minded, and spirited.

who

princes, or KauravasX,

are both

All five are as unlike as possible

hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, commonly

to the

and match-

strength,

Nakula and Sahadeva

athletic exercises.

called

Kuru

the

are represented as mean, spiteful, disho-

nourable, and vicious.

So bad indeed

hundred brothers, and so uniformly without

are these

redeeming points, that their characters present few

The most conspicuous

is

distinctive features.

the eldest, Duryodhana, or 'the unfair fighter' ||,

sometimes by euphemism called Suyodhana, who, as the representative

of the others,

painted in the darkest colours, and embodies

is

Many Hindus

bad

qualities.

the

evil principle in

human

all

their

regard him as a visible type of Vice, or

nature , for ever doing battle with Virtue, or

the good and divine principle, symbolised by the five sons of Pandu.

The

cousins,

though so uncongenial

in character,

were educated to-

Brahman named
From him they

gether at Hastinapur, the city of Dhritarashtra, by a

Drona^f,

who

found in the

Pandu princes apt

* Strictly, however, as in the Iliad, there

f Perhaps
character.

it

may be

Thus he

objected that

is

no

pupils.

real hero kept always in view.

some of Arjuna's

acts were inconsistent with this

carried off Subhadra, the sister of Krishna,

by

force.

borne in mind, however, that Krishna himself encourages him to this

Prasahya haranam Kshatriydndm prafasyate. Maha-bhar.

% This name, however,

is

I.

It

act,

must be

and

says,

7927.

occasionally applied to the Pandavas, as they

and the

sons of Dhritarashtra were equally descendants of Kuru.

||

Rendered by some,

parva,

1.

4541.

'

difficult to

Duhs'asana

is

conquer.'

The names of

are given in the Adi-

There are certainly many points in his character, as well as in that of Ravana,

which may be compared to Milton's conception of Satan.

Dr. Muir suggests that the

intimacy with the Asura Charvaka ascribed to Duryodhana

him out
IF

all

the most conspicuous next to Duryodhana.

as a type of heresy

Drona appears

and

infidelity, as well as

to have kept a kind of school, to

the neighbouring countries resorted.

may be

intended to mark

of every other bad quality.

which

(Adi-parva, 5220.)

all

the

young

princes of

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

5]

acquired intelligence and learning, lofty aims, religious earnestness, and

love of truth/

arms

war and

All the cousins were equally instructed in

and Arjuna distinguishes himself

ever to his teacher's

will,

in every exercise,

submissive

contented, modest, affable, and mild/

Their education finished, a grand tournament

the youthful cousins display their

is

held, at

archery, in the

skill in

which

all

management

of chariots (Ratha-charya), horses, and elephants, in sword, spear, and

The scene

club exercises, and wrestling.

An immense

crowd

tation of the

is

graphically described

concourse of spectators cheer the combatants.

is

compared

(1.

mighty ocean.

to the roar of a

after exhibiting prodigies of strength, shoots five separate

53 24).

The

agi-

Arjuna,

arrows simul-

taneously into the jaws of a revolving iron boar, and twenty-one arrows
into the hollow of a cow's horn suspended

The crowd turns

a pause.

is

as one

man

by a

string.

Suddenly there

towards a point in the arena,

where a murmur gradually rising to a clamour, which rent the sky

a thunder-clap, announces the entrance of another combatant.

named Karna, who

proves to be a warrior

enters the

lists

like

This
in

full

armour, and after accomplishing the same feats in archery, challenges

But each champion

Arjuna to single combat.

name and pedigree

brother of Arjuna), he
like a

Kama,

drooping

ally of the

Kurus against

well imagined.

is

chastened by the

his

own

able for a liberal

He

and generous

His

exhibits in a high degree forti-

Especially remark-

disposition *, he never stoops to ignoble

practices like his friends the Kurus,

is

half-brothers.

Feeling keenly the stain on his birth, his

trial.

tude, chivalrous honour, self-sacrifice, and devotion.

He

half-

lily."

character

was

(he

by the sun, and therefore

obliged to retire, " hanging his head with

is

nature

The

tell his

thus publicly humiliated, becomes afterwards a conspicuous

and valuable

is

required to

and Kama's parentage being doubtful

really the illegitimate child of Pritha

shame

is

who

are intrinsically

bad men.

superior skill of the Pandavas, displayed at this public contest,

often to this clay cited as a

model of

liberality.

See his name, Yasu-shena.

22

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

excited

all

the malevolence of their cousins, and they endeavoured to

destroy them by setting

fire to their

house; but the Pandavas, warned

of their intention, escaped by an underground passage to the woods.

Whilst living there disguised as mendicant Brahmans, they were induced

to join a

number

Brahmans on

of other

by a

or public choice of a husband

their

Drupada (who was an

to a

An immense

daughter of Drupada, king of Panchala.

princely suitors, with their retainers,

way

came

Swayamvara,

maiden named Draupadi,

beautiful

to the

concourse of

ceremony

and king

Brahman, Drona, but had

old schoolfellow of the

offended him by repudiating his friendship in later years) eagerly' looked

for

Arjuna amongst them,

strengthened by that heroes alliance, he

that,

He

might defy Drona^s anger.

therefore prepared an

enormous bow,

which he was persuaded none but Arjuna could bend, and proposed a
trial

of strength, promising to give his daughter to any one

by means of

this

bow

shoot five

arrows simultaneously through

An

revolving ring into a target beyond.

by

outside the town, surrounded

forms, with variegated awnings.

tiers

music floated

in the air.

pectation was at
arena,

skill

height,

its

of lofty seats and raised plat-

Its recoil dashes

them

Actors, conjurors, athletes, and

before the multitude.

Drums and trumpets

Draupadi

and the bow was brought.

strain every nerve to

in

Strains of exquisite

sounded.

moment

breathless to the ground, and

motionless

lie

makes them the

stood and scanned

in

homage, breathed a prayer

To the Supreme bestower of good gifts

Then fixing all his mind on Draupadi

He

effect.

Arjuna now advances, disguised as a

collecting all his energy.

Next walking round

ex-

The hundred sons of Dhritarashtra

Brahman. (Adi-parva, 7049.)

The bow,

When

gorgeous apparel entered the

bend the ponderous weapon, but without

laughing-stock of the crowd.

amphitheatre was erected

Magnificent palaces, crowded with

eager spectators, overlooked the scene.

dancers exhibited their

who could

grasped the ponderous weapon in his hand,


23

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

And

with one vigorous

effort

braced the string.

Quickly the shafts were aimed; they flew

The mark

fell

pierced; a shout of victory

Eang through

the vast arena ; from the sky

Garlands of flowers crowned the hero's head,

Ten thousand

fluttering scarfs

waved

And drum and trumpet sounded

I

need not suggest the

classical scholar,

which

parallel

between this

in the air,

forth his triumph.

once be drawn by the

will at

of archery and a similar scene in

trial

the Odyssey.

When

the suitors find themselves outdone by a mere stripling in

the coarse dress of a mendicant Brahman, their rage

real battle ensues.

prodigies.
last

Bhima

The Pandu

tears

up

knows no bounds.

princes protect Drupada, and enact

a tree, and uses

elephant.

darken the

Kama

as a club.

it

meets Arjuna in single combat, rushing on him

like

at

young

They overwhelm each other with showers of arrows, which

But not even

air.

Kama

can withstand the irresistible

onset of the godlike Arjuna, and he and the other suitors retire van-

quished from the field*, leaving Braupadi as the bride of Arjuna.

The Pandu

princes, thus strengthened

off their disguise,

differences

by

dividing his

Soon afterwards,
pose a game at dice.

is

kingdom between them and

No Hindu
is

is

alliance,

induced to

at a great assembly, the artful

Yudhishthira, excellent as he

By

by Drupada's

and the king, Dhritarashtra,

his

Kuru

throw

settle all

own

sons.

princes pro-

proof against the love of gambling.

in other respects, has this

one

fault.

degrees he stakes every thing, and, after losing his territory and

possessions, pledges himself that he and his brothers shall live for twelve

years in the woods, and shall pass the thirteenth concealed under

assumed names

in various disguises.

Their term of banishment ended,

they prepare to make war on their cousins, and recover their kingdom.

We have then the preparations on both sides described.

*

They console themselves by

Each party seeks

declaring that they are defeated, not by physical force,

but by the divine power of the sacerdotal

caste. (I. 7123.)

24

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Krishna, king of

alliances.

Dwaraka (worshipped

in the present

day as

the most popular incarnation of Vishnu), takes the side of his cousins,

the Pandavas, and condescends to serve as the charioteer of Arjuna.

The

armies meet on a vast plain, north-west of the modern

rival

Delhi, called

mand

'

the field of the

Kurus/

Bhishma, the oldest warrior present.

are led

on

in the first

And now
shook

Duryodhana

of his troops to his ablest generals, and

the other side,

as the hosts advanced a tumult filled the sky

the earth

" Chafed by wild winds, the sands upcurled to heaven, and

and howling

Thunder

armies.

The Pandavas, on

grand-uncle

engagement by Bhima.

spread a veil before the sun."

vultures,

com-

entrusts the

first to his

jackalls

Showers of blood

hung about

fell*.

Shrill kites,

the rear of the marching

roared, lightnings flashed, blazing meteors shot across

the darkened sky ; yet the chiefs, regardless of these portents, " pressed

on

to

mutual slaughter, and the peal of shouting hosts commingling,

shook the world."

There

is

to a

European

ponderous and unwieldy character about

Oriental warfare, which he finds

scenes,

difficult to realize;

it

yet the battle-

though exaggerated, are vividly described, and carry the ima-

gination into the midst of the conflict.

over the

field,

men and

trampling on

with their huge tusks

Monstrous elephants career

horses,

and dealing destruction

enormous clubs and iron maces clash toge-

ther with the noise of thunder

rattling chariots dash against each

other ; thousands of arrows hurtle in the

air,

darkening the sky

trum-

pets, kettle-drums, and horns add to the uproar; confusion, carnage,

The

and death are every where.

individual deds of prowess

and

single-combats between the heroes are sometimes graphically narrated.

Each

chief has a conch-shell (s'ankha) for a trumpet, which, as well as

his principal weapon, has a

*

So Jupiter

name,

as if personified f.

rains blood twice in the Iliad, XI. 53.

Thus we read:

and XVI. 459.

t Trumpets do not appear to have been used by Homer's heroes. Whence the value
of a Stentorian voice.

trumpets at sieges.

But there

is

express allusion in

II.

XVIII. 219. to the use of

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Arjuna blew his shell called

bow

'

'J.')

God-given' (Deva-datta), and carried a

Krishna sounded Panchajanya

called Gandiva.

(a shell

made

of the

bones of the demon Panchajana), Bhima blew a great trumpet called

Paundra, and Yudhishthira sounded
vijaya).

Here

'Eternal victory' (Ananta-

his, called

a description of a single-combat between

is

Salya, the king of

Madra

have translated nearly

literally.

It will give

as

he saw his charioteer struck down,

Straightway the Madra monarch grasped his mace,

And

mountain firm and motionless

like a

The

Awaited the attack.

Was

warrior's form

awful as the world-consuming

fire,

Or as the noose-armed god of death, or

The peaked Kailasa, or the Thunderer

as

Himself, or as the trident-hearing god,

Or
%

as a

Him

maddened forest elephant.

Bhima hastily

to defy did

Advance, wielding

massive club.

aloft his

thousand conchs and trumpets and a shout,

Firing each champion's ardour, rent the

From

air.

either host, spectators of the fight,

Burst forth applauding cheers

"

The Madra king

Bhima

Alone," they cried, " can bear the rush of

None but
The force

heroic

Bhima can

Now

of S'alya."

Sprang they towards each

And

sustain
like

two

other,

fierce bulls

mace

in hand.

cautiously they circled round,

first as

Whirling their weapons as in sport, the pair

Seemed matched
Set with red

in equal combat.

fillets,

like fitahing lightning.

the clashing iron met, and scattered round

fiery

shower

Or butting
Thick

S'alya's club,

glittered as with flame,

While that of Bhima gleamed

Anon

fell

then fierce as elephants

bulls they battered each the other.

the blows, and soon each stalwart frame,

Spattered with gore, glowed like the Klniuka,

an idea of the redundance

of similes in the original.

Soon

Bhima and

(taken from the Salya-parva, 594), which

26

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Bedecked with

scarlet blossoms; yet

beneath

The rain of strokes, unshaken as a rock

Bhima sustained the mace of S'alya, he
With equal firmness bore the other's blows.

Now

like the roar of crashing thunder-clouds

Sounded the clashing iron

Brandished

aloft,

then, their clubs

eight paces they retired,

And

swift again advancing to the fight,

Met

in the midst like

two huge mountain-crags

Nor

Hurled into contact.

could either bear

The other's shock together down they rolled,

Mangled and crushed, like two tall standards fallen.
;

The

following description, from the Drona-parva (544),

High on a

is less literal.

stately car

Swift borne by generous coursers to the fight,

The vaunting son

Puru proudly drove,

of

Secure of conquest o'er Subhadra's son.

The youthful champion shrank not from the conflict.

Fierce on the boastful chief he sprang, as bounds
The lion's cub upon the ox and now
The Puru chief had perished, but his dart
Shivered with timely aim the upraised bow
Of Abhimanyu *. From his tingling hand
The youthful warrior cast the fragments off,
And drew his sword, and grasped his iron-bound shield
;

Upon the car of Faurava he leapt

And seized the chief his charioteer he slew,
And dragged the monarch senseless o'er the plain f

In

all

this there is

nothing extravagant; but when Arjuna

is

de-

scribed as killing five hundred warriors simultaneously, covering the

whole plain with dead and

slaughtering a hundred

The name

men

of Arjuna's son

t In this extract

filling rivers
i

in a

with blood; Yudhishthira as

mere twinkle 5 {nimesha-mdtrena)

by Subhadra.

have partly followed a spirited though too

the Oriental Magazine.

free translation in

27

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Bhima
upon

annihilating a monstrous elephant, including

as

it,

and fourteen

foot-soldiers besides, with

Nakula and Sahadeva, fighting from

by the thousand, and sowing them

mounted

one blow of his club

their chariots, as cutting off heads

like seed

make use

moreover, the principal heroes

all

upon the ground

when,

of mystical weapons, given to

them by the gods, possessed of supernatural powers, and supposed

to

we

an

be themselves celestial beings *;

unreality about such scenes,
Still it

must be borne

in

at

once perceive that there

is

which mars the beauty of the description.

mind

that the heroes of the Indian epics have

semi-divine natures, and that what would be incredible in a mere mortal

is

not only possible but appropriate in a demigod

possible of course to detail

all

would be im-

It

f.

the events of the great battle, which was

protracted, with various successes on either side, for

many

days.

Several

times, like " clouds before the gale," the Pandavas were driven

by the veteran Drona

*

(their

former tutor)

About a hundred of these weapons

and constant allusion

Maha-bharata.
celestial

is

made

Arjuna, in the

weapons from Siva.

Viswamitra, and
exercised

Rama

kills

them

to

latter,

It is

are

is

both

in the

back

generally

enumerated in the Ramayana

in battle-scenes

(I.

xxix),

Ramayana and

undergoes a long course of austerities to obtain

by the

Havana.

but the day

terrific

brahmdstra that Vas'ishtha conquers

Sometimes they appear

to be mystical powers

by meditation, rather than weapons, and are supposed

to

assume animate

forms, and possess names and faculties like the genii in the Arabian Nights.
in

Ramayana

servants

;'

xxix. they address

I.

Rama

'
:

Behold us here present,

and Rama, taking them by the hand,

called to mind.'

replies,

'

Be

O Rama,

Thus
as

present to me,

your

when

Certain distinct spells, charms, or prayers had to be learnt for the

due using (prayoga) and restraining (sanhdra) of these weapons or powers.

See

(Sammohanam nama astram adhatswa prayogasanhara-vibhakta-mantram.) When once let loose, he only who knew the secret spell
Ram.

I.

xxx, and Raghu-vans'a V. 57.

for recalling

them, could bring them back

sessor's quiver of its

own

but the brahmdstra returned to

its

pos-

accord.

t Aristotle says that the epic poet should prefer impossibilities which appear probable to such things as though possible appear improbable. (Poetics III. 6.)
previously, in

necessary in tragedy, but the epic

and

incredible,

But

comparing epic poetry with tragedy, he observes, " the surprising

poem goes

further,

is

and admits even the improbable

from which the highest degree of the surpri

UI.4.)

28

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

restored

by Arjuna, and one

after

Kuru

another the leaders of the

party-

are slain.

At
in

combat takes place between Bhima and Duryodhana,

last a fearful

which the

latter receives a

He

mortal blow.

gies succeed.

whirlwind

showers of dust

rises,

a huge forest-

falls like

tree felled to the ground, causing the earth to vibrate.

Various prodi-

up-

trees are

fall,

rooted, mountains quiver, meteors stream in the sky, the clouds rain

blood,

demons and

After the
viving

fall

Kuru

evil spirits

fill

of their chief an attempt

princes to retrieve

camp of

attack on the

the air with their hideous yells *.

is

made by some

of the sur-

shattered fortunes

their

the sleeping Pandavas.

The

in

a night

description of this

incident, told in the Sauptika-parva (or loth book), resembles very

strikingly

Homer's

Ulysses in the camp of the Trojans.

The

(Iliad,

book X.)

and the eldest brother

elevated to the throne

is

European poet would have brought the story

Sanskrit poet has a deeper knowledge of

Hindu

Diomed and

battle having terminated in favour of the Pandavas, they recover

their possessions,

here a

of

narrative of the night-adventures

human

to

an end.

and

The

nature, or at least of

nature.

In the most popular of Indian dramas (the S'akuntala) there occurs

my

this sentiment (see

translation of this play, p. 124)

'Tis a vain

And

thought that to attain the end

object of ambition

is

to rest.

Success doth only mitigate the fever

Of anxious expectation soon the fear

Of losing what we have, the constant care
Of guarding it doth weary.
:

If then the great national epic was to respond truly to the deeper

emotions of the Hindu mind,

it

could not leave the Pandavas in the

* This description favours the idea expressed at p. 20, note .

are a

common

prodigy in the Indian epics.

(p. 24, note), twice in the Iliad.

may be added

Ka8

S'

The

Showers of blood

similar portent occurs, as

we have seen

following parallel from Hesiod, Scut. Here. 384,

ap an ovpavoOev yjndbas fiakcv

aifxaToea-a-as.

20

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

contented enjoyment of their kingdom.

moral

It

had

to instil a

a lesson which even the disciples of a divine philosophy are

slow to learn

namely, that

Hence we

heavenwards.

all

who

and

brothers,

their

must

desire rest

kingdom by the

can,

word

for

the four brothers

word

knew

And

all

translate, as

the high resolve of king Yudhishthira,

forth,

and

after

them a dog

the king himself went out the seventh from the royal city,

the citizens and

But none could

And

now

*.

Forthwith with Draupadi they issued

Followed

five

journey towards Indra's heaven in mount Meru.

Part of this (see Maha-prasthanika-parva, 24) I will

nearly as

set their faces

are brought in the concluding chapters to

the fine description of the renunciation of their

When

more sublime

find

it

women

of the palace walked behind

in their heart to say unto the king, 'Return.'

went back, bidding adieu.

Pandu and the noble Draupadi

so at length the train of citizens

Then the high-minded sons

Roamed onwards,
Yearning

for

fasting,

of

with their faces towards the east ; their hearts

union with the Infinite ; bent on abandonment

Of worldly things. They wandered on to many countries, many a sea

And river. Yudhishthira walked in front, and next to him came Bhima,
And Arjuna came after him, and then, in order, the twin brothers.
And last of all came Draupadi, with her dark skin and lotus-eyes
The

faithful

Draupadi, loveliest of women, best of wives

Behind them walked the only living thing that shared their pilgrimage,

The dog

And by degrees they reached the briny

Cast in the waves his

bow and

quivers

t.

sea.

Then with

There Arjuna
souls well-disciplined

They reached the northern region, and beheld with heaven-aspiring hearts
The mighty mountain Himavat. Beyond its lofty peak they passed
Towards the sea of sand, and saw at last the rocky Meru, king

Of mountains.

As with eager

steps they hastened on, their souls intent

On union with the Eternal, Draupadi

And faltering fell upon the earth.
* Since the above

was written

lost

hold of her high hope,

have received from Paris M. Foucaux's translation

into French of eleven episodes of the Maha-bharata, including a French version of

this passage.

t Arjuna had two celebrated quivers, besides the bow named (uuuliva, given to

him by the god Agni.

80

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

One by one
the dog are

the others also drop,

Still

left.

only Bhima, Yudhishthira, and

till

Yudhishthira walks steadily

unmoved, looking neither

hand nor

to the right

ing up his soul in inflexible resolution.

his companions,

and unable

should be struck

guileless

in front,

to the

left,

Bhima, shocked

calm and

and gather-

at the fall of

understand how beings so apparently

to

down by

appeals to his brother,

fate,

without looking back explains that death

who

the consequence of sinful

is

thoughts and too great attachment to worldly objects; and that Draupadi's

(who

was owing

fall
is

to his pride in his

own knowledge

to feelings of personal vanity

his

Arjuna

to her excessive affection for

supposed to be the most humble-minded of the

power

Nakukr's (who

is

Sahadeva's

five brothers)

very handsome)

and Arjuna^s to a boastful confidence in

Bhima then

to destroy his foes.

feels

himself

and

falling,

is

told that he suffers death for his selfishness, pride, and too great love

The

of enjoyment.

sole survivor is

steadily forward, followed only

When

now

Yudhishthira,

walks

by the dog.

in a chariot,

and he

cried,

Then did the king look back upon

"Ascend,

with me.

Without them,

resolute prince."

and address'd

his fallen brothers,

These words unto the Thousand-eyed, in anguish

" Let

Worthy

of happiness, let her too come.

this,

my

brothers here

god of gods, I would not wish

E'en heaven ; and yonder tender princess Draupadi, the

Upon

still

with a sudden sound that rang through earth and heaven came the god

Towards him

Come

who

In mercy hear

Indra informs him that the

spirits

brothers are already in heaven, and that he alone

to enter

faithful wife,

my

prayer."

of Draupadi and his

is

permitted to ascend

Yudhishthira now stipulates that his dog shall

there in bodily form.

be admitted with him.

Indra says sternly, " Heaven has no place for

accompanied by dogs (s'wavatam) f 9 but Yudhishthira is

unshaken in his resolution, and declines abandoning the faithful animal.

those

who

are

Indra remonstrates
padi

"

" You have abandoned your

why not forsake

the dog }"

To

this

I had no power to bring them back to

9
donment of those who no longer live V

brothers and Drau-

Yudhishthira haughtily
life

how can

replies,

there be aban-

31

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

'

The dog,

appears, was his

it

for his constancy,

to his surprise, he finds

An

them.

angel

is

(Maha-

in disguise

form he praises

his proper

Duryodhana and

his cousins, but not his bro-

declines remaining in heaven without

then sent to conduct him across the Indian Styx

where they are supposed

to the hell

(Vaitarini)

Dharma

and they enter heaven together. There,

Hereupon he

thers or Draupadi.

father

Reassuming now

prasthanika-parva, 88*).

Yudhishthira

own

The scene

be.

to

which now follows may be compared to the Necyomanteia in the

ele-

venth book of the Odyssey, or to parts of Dante.

The

particular hell to

which Yudhishthira

whose leaves are sharp swords, and

The way
shapes

to

flit

it

is

its

is

taken

is

a dense wood,

ground paved with razors

strewed with foul and mutilated corpses.

Here there

across the air and hover over him.

f-

Hideous
a horror

is

of palpable darkness. There the wicked are burning in flames of blazing

Suddenly he hears the voices of his brothers and companions

fire.

imploring him to assuage their torments, and not desert them.

resolution

taken.

is

share their miseries.

vanishes.

He

is

It

now

Deeply
This

was a mere

directed to

affected,
is

The whole scene now

his last trial.

illusion, to test his

constancy to the utmost.

bathe in the heavenly Ganges

plunged into the sacred stream, he enters the

length, in

company with Draupadi and

and having

real heaven,

where at

earth.

proceed to give one or two specimens from the most celebrated

episodes of the Maha-bharata.

*

his brothers, he finds that rest

and happiness which were unattainable on

I

His

he bids the angel leave him to

So

pression

I infer
is

from the

The

original, which,

dharma- swariipi bhagavdn.

created to try Yudhishthira, as

it

is

'

Story of Nala*

however,

At any

is

is

so well

somewhat obscure.

rate, the

known
The ex-

dog was a mere phantom

evident that a real dog

is

not admitted with

Yudhishthira to heaven.
t I.e. Asi-patra-vana.

The Hindus exaggerate the horrors

gions, as they do everything else; nor does one place of

In

Manu(IY.

of their infernal re-

punishment

satisfy

them.

88) twenty-one hells are enumerated, and in the Puranas various others

are added, comprising every species of possible torment.

32

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

through various editions of the

this University *, that I

A still

and especially that published by

text,

need not refer to

more celebrated episode

is

here.

it

the Bhagavad-Gita or Divine song,

poem, introduced into the Maha-bharata subsequently

(a philosophical

This combines the Pantheism of the Vedanta

to the Christian era.)

with the more modern principle of bhakti, or devotion to Krishna as

the supreme Being f ; and teaches that renunciation of the world ought

not to involve the avoidance of action or the neglect of professional

These doctrines are propounded

duties.

in a discourse

supposed

to take

place between Krishna, acting as Arjuna^s charioteer, and Arjuna himself,

in the chariot stationed

commencement of
battle array, is

ing his

way

the battle.

between the

kingdom through the blood of

to

at the idea of fight-

What

seek not victory nor a kingdom.

with enjoyments or with

one another,

life

not

I will

He

his kindred.

Krishna in the following words

my kindred about to engage in killing

my face dries up, my body trembles;

my limbs

fight,

fine passages, the

moral of which

give way,

Krishna.

military caste his duty

is

to fight.

we do with a kingdom?
when we have slain these

existence of the soul, which

will

He
now

full

of

that as Arjuna belongs to the

is

urged not to hesitate about

by an argument drawn from the

slaughtering his relations

shall

itself,

is

con-

" Beholding

Krishna replies in a long metaphysical dialogue,

relations?"

The wise

armies just before the

suddenly struck with compunction

to a

fides his misgivings

What

rival

Arjuna, seeing his relatives drawn up in

translate %

grieve not for the departed, nor for those

who

eternal

yet survive.

Ne'er was the time when I was not, nor thou, nor yonder chiefs ; and ne'er
Shall be the time

Which has

It also

that

all

of us shall be not ; as the unbodied soul

the advantage of

Dean Milman's

translation synoptically exhibited.

combines a strong tinge of the Sankhya philosophy.

do not pretend to have translated

although
is

when

am

may

this passage as poetically as

indebted to him for some expressions.

give a

more

literal version.

Dean Milman,

My only reason for retranslating

33

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

In this corporeal frame moves swiftly on through boyhood, youth, and age,

So

will it pass

through other forms hereafter

be not grieved thereat.

The man whom pain and pleasure, heat and cold affect not, he is fit
For immortality that which is not cannot be and that which is
Can never cease to be. Know this
the Being that spread this universe

Is indestructible ; who can destroy the Indestructible %

These bodies that enclose the everlasting soul, inscrutable,
Immortal, have an end but he who thinks the soul can be destroyed,

And

he

who deems

Kills not,
It has

and

is

a destroyer, are alike mistaken

it

not killed;

no past nor future

not born, nor doth

it is

unproduced, unchanging,

it

it

ever die;

infinite

Who knows it fixed, unborn, imperishable, indissoluble,

How can that man destroy another, or extinguish aught
As men abandon
So

casts the

No

he

below'?

old and threadbare clothes to put on others new,

embodied soul

dart can pierce

it

its

immoveable

worn out frame

flame cannot consume

Nor scorching breezes dry it

Of heat or moisture or aridity
Steadfast,

to enter other forms.

it,

water wet

it

not,

indestructible, incapable

eternal, all-pervading,

perpetual, yet imperceptible,

Incomprehensible, unfading, deathless, unimaginable.

There

is

a touching episode,

book of the Maha-bharata

Brahman's lament/ but
is

briefly as follows.

full

of true poetic feeling, in the

(i^di-parva, 6104), usually

called in the original

their cousins to destroy

them by

named Baka, who

day a dish of food by a man,

to provide the

setting fire to their dwelling, resided

whom

Rakshasa with

and daughter address him

in

him every

he always devoured as his daintiest

The turn had come

his meal.

He

language

full

to a

poor Brah-

determines to go

himself, but laments bitterly the hardness of his fate.

wife

attempt of

after the treacherous

forced the citizens to send

morsel at the end of the repast.

man

'the
story

In the neighbourhood of Ekachakra, a town in

which the Pandavas had taken refuge

a fierce giant,

known as
The

Baka-badha*.

first

Upon

this, his

of the deepest pathos,

each in turn insisting on sacrificing herself for the good of the family.

* This episode, as well as that noticed next, has been printed by Bopp, and translated

by Milman

therefore confine myself to a brief outline.

34

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Lastly, the

Weep

son, too

little

and smiling

face,

young

beaming eyes

to speak distinctly, with

runs to his parents, and with prattling voice says,

Then breaking

mother/

not, father, sigh not,

off

and brandish-

ing a pointed spike of grass, he adds in childish accents, 'With this

spike will I slay the fierce man-eating giant/

(I.

His parents

6203.)

proceeds the story), hearing this innocent prattle of their child, in

(so

the midst of their heart-rending anguish

The end

of

it

that

is

felt

a thrill of exquisite delight.

Bhima, who overhears the whole conversation,

undertakes to convey the meal to the monster, and, of course, speedily

despatches him.

The next

episode I select

Manu,

Noah

the

is

manner the wide

in a striking

one (from the Vana-parva} illustrating

diffusion of the tradition of the Deluge.

of the Hindus (not the grandson of Brahma, and

reputed author of the Code, but the seventh Manu, or

Manu

of the

present period, called Vaivaswata, and regarded as one of the progenitors

of the

human

race

the favour of the

pravity.

The

see

Manu

Supreme by

earliest

I.

61, 62), is represented as conciliating

penances in an age of universal de-

his

account of him

It is so interesting to

Adhy.

compare the simple narrative of

(which represents the tradition of the flood as

much

centuries B.C., perhaps not

it

washing his hands.

usual, for

David) with

literally as I can.

Manu

serve thee/
fish

answered,

'

thee from that/

plished V

The

As he was washing,

spake to him thus

It

asked,

'

said,

fish replied,

'

Take

From what

flood will carry

He

'

'

How

away

me

in

Manu,
came

into

I will pre-

thou preserve me?'

;

as

I will

The
save

thy preservation to be accom-

is

While we

an earthen vessel

and

living beings

all

are small,

we

stant destruction, and even one fish devours another

preserve

a fish

care of me,

wilt

many

commence by

" It happened one morning that they brought water to

his hands.

work

this ancient

later than the time of

Brahmana, as

I. vhi. 1. 1).

existed in India

the poetical embellishments of the epic version, that

translating an extract from the

Brahmana

in the S'atapatha

is

(attached to the Vajasaneyi Sanhita of the Yajur-veda,

when

are liable to con:

grow too

thou must

first

large for that,

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

me

dig a trench, and keep

thou must convey

destruction/
larger

and

take place

waters

to the ocean

Then

larger.

rise,

me

So saying,

By

it

said, 'After so

go into the ship, and

When

I will

the flood rose he

means he passed beyond

'

But

let

have preserved thee

and

fish,

mountain.

years, the deluge will

me homage, and when the

rescue thee.' Manu therefore,
ocean

to the

it

As

fast as

Manu

creatures.

performed a

came

to

Thy

it

'

and

The

its

horn.

fish

then

fasten the ship to a tree.

sinks, so fast do thou

and

The

formed another

go down with

it.'

The

flood

had carried away

Wishing

said to her,

asked,

oblations

'

Who

How,

'

for offspring,

called the offspring of

thou

art

whey and curds

?'

thou

lady, art

which thou didst

can confer blessings.'

sacrifice,

all

Manu; and whatever

*.

is

She

She answered,

my

daughter?'

offer in the waters, viz.

;

from these hast thou

With her he

desirous of children.

living

he diligently

By

laboriously per-

her he had offspring,

blessings he prayed for

granted to himf."

In the Maha-bharata account (Vana-parva, 12746 12S04) the

which

He

was the manner of Manu's descent

this

left.

butter, thick milk,

begotten me.

all

mountain.

In a year's time a female was produced

He
He

Manu.

replied,

an incarnation of Brahma, appears to

penance on the margin of a

tection from the larger fish.
I

and the

in the ship,

fastened the ship's cable to

now do thou

alone was

sacrifice.

daughter.'

clarified

embarked

this northern

from the northern mountain.

grew

still

not the water sink from under thee while thou art on the

therefore so descended;

were

many

he was directed, bore

swam towards him, and he

its

She

became a great

rapidly

for that,

very time the fish had declared he built a ship, and did homage

said,

grow too large

then construct a ship, and pay

to the fish.
fish

then be beyond the risk of

I shall

it

after preserving the fish as

at the

When

in that.

35

river,

Manu

Manu

fish,

whilst engaged in

and accosting him craves

complies, and places him

his pro-

in a glass

omit a portion here.

t After making

my own

Sanskrit Texts, and

Prut".

translation

Max Midler

have consulted those made by Dr. Mnir

in his
1

in his

History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

36
vessel,

which he soon outgrows, and requests to be taken to a more

roomy

receptacle.

grew,

He

Manu

then places him in a lake.

the fish

Still

the lake, though three leagues long, could not contain him.

till

next asks to be taken to the Ganges

soon too small, and the

but even the Ganges was

There

fish is finally transferred to the ocean.

the monster continues to expand,

till

Manu, he warns

at last, addressing

him of the coming deluge.

Manu, however, is to be preserved by the help of the fish, who

commands him to build a ship and go on board, not with his own wife
and children, but with the seven Kishis or patriarchs

and not with

The

pairs of animals, but with the seeds of all existing things.

comes;

Manu

goes on board, and fastens the ship, as he

to a horn in the

Along the ocean

Its dancing,

head of the

He

fish.

in that stately ship

tumbling billows, and

is

is

flood

directed,

then drawn along *

was borne the lord of men, and through

its

roaring waters

and the bark,

Tossed to and fro by violent winds, reeled on the surface of the deep,
Staggering and trembling like a drunken

Nor

far horizon,

woman

land was seen no more,

nor the space between ; for every where around

Spread the wild waste of waters, reeking atmosphere, and boundless sky.

And now when all the world was deluged, nought appeared above
But Manu and the seven sages, and the fish that drew the bark.

the waves

Unwearied thus for years on years that fish propelled the ship across
The heaped-up waters, till at length it bore the vessel to the peak
Of Himavan then softly smiling thus the fish addressed the sage
;

" Haste

now

The great

to hind thy ship to this high crag.

Know me

creator Brahma, mightier than all might

the lord of

By me in fish-like shape have you been saved in dire emergency.

From Manu all creation, gods, asuras, men, must be produced;
By him the world must be created, that which moves and moveth
I
still

now

leave this interesting episode with the

not."

remark that there

is

a later account of the deluge in the Bhagavata-Purana, where the

fish is represented as

more

all,

omnipotent.

an incarnation of Vishnu.

have preferred to translate

literal

this in metre.

Dr. Muir

(II. p.

331) gives a

prose version, and some valuable remarks on the whole subject.

still

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

The only other specimen

story of Savitri

propose giving

a brief epitome of the

is

and Satyavan (from the Vana-parva,

which, for true poetic feeling and pathos,

Admetus and

37

is

1.

16619, &c),

not excelled by that of

Alcestis.

Savitri, the lovely

daughter of a king Aswapati, loves Satyavan, the

son of an old hermit, but

ment, as Satyavan

is

warned by a

seer to

overcome her attach-

doomed man, having only one year

is

to

live.

But Savitri replies *

Whether

Or

The

his years

him

graceless,

be few or many, be he gifted with

my

king's daughter

heart hath chosen, and

it

all

grace

chooseth not again.

and the hermit's son are therefore married, and

the bride strives to forget the ominous prophecy

but as the

last

of the year approaches her anxiety becomes irrepressible.

day

She ex-

hausts herself in prayers and penances, hoping to stay the hand of the
destroyer

husband.
cut

wood

yet

At

all

the while dares not reveal the fatal secret to her

last the

dreaded day arrives, and Satyavan sets out to

His wife asks leave to accompany him, and

in the forest.

walks behind her husband smiling, but with a heavy heart.

soon makes the wood resound

his temples shoots a thrill of

with his hatchet,

Satyavan

when suddenly through

agony, and feeling himself falling he

calls

out to his wife to support him.

Then she received her fainting husband in her arms, and sate herself
On the cold ground, and gently laid his drooping head upon her lap
Sorrowing, she

call'd to

The days and hours.

mind the

sage's prophecy,

and reckoned up

All in an instant she beheld an awful shape

Standing before her, dressed in blood-red garments, with a glittering crown

Upon his head his form, though glowing like the sun, was yet obscure,
And eyes he had like flames, a noose depended from his hand and he
Was terrible to look upon, as by her husband's side he stood
And gazed upon him with a fiery glance. Shuddering she started up
And laid her dying Satyavan upon the ground, and with her hands
:

translate as closely as

can to the original.

This and other select specimens of

Indian poetry have been more freely translated in rhyme by Mr. Griffiths, ami
fore limit myself to a brief outline.

there-

38

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Joined reverently, she thus with beating heart addressed the Shape
Surely thou art a god, such form as thine must more than mortal be.
Tell me, thou godlike being,

The

figure replies that he

time

is

who thou

is

art,

and wherefore

Yama, king of death

come, and that he must bind and take his

art thou here

that her husband's

spirit.

Then from her husband's body forced he out and firmly with his cord
Bound and detained the spirit, like in size and length to a man's thumb
Forthwith the body,
Lost

all its

The

the south.

Yama

spirit,

proceeds with

faithful wife follows

till

Yama, pleased with her

life

husband's father, who

blind,

may

and bids her now return home.

Hindus

form of

when

present rule

is

At

Two

Savitri follows

still

last,

overcome by her

which

is

air,

it

without support, until ten s'raddhas

obtains the preta-sarira (also called

a receptacle about the size of a

body be burnt on the day of death ;

that the

consents,

believe that the spirit after death (preta) remains

or funeral ceremonies are performed;

ativdhika), or misery-enduring body,

Yama

she persists in following.

floating about in the atmosphere in the

The

boon

She chooses that her

recover his sight.

Still

on the heels of the king of death.

* According to Carey, the

bids her

but she persists in

devotion, grants her any

other boons are granted in the same way, and

closely

Yama

closely.

rites

of her husband.

she pleases, except the

is

towards his own quar-

it

him

go home and prepare her husband's funeral

following,

*.

being and deprived of breath,

grace and beauty, and became ghastly and motionless.

After binding the

ter,

reft of vital

after

days, during the dasa-pinda-sraddha, the relations are supposed to be

which

thumb.
for ten

mourning and

in a state of as'aucha or impurity, so that no one can communicate with them, the
soul of the deceased being daily fed with libations of water (tarpana) and cakes (pinda)

of rice mixed with milk, &c.

On

the period of uncleanness ceases.

year

performed,

when

These sraddhas are repeated once a month

for a

the eleventh day the ekadas'i

and on the anniversary of death the sapindana

enters the divya-s'arira or bhoga-deha, that

the reward of

its

actions.

is,

progenitors,

and

vol. III. p. 72.

it

all

performed,

is

the vehicle in which

it

when

the soul

enjoys or suffers

If a person die at Gaya, or other holy place, the soul

departs to bliss without the discipline of the preta-sarira.

the divya-s'arira

is

considered a pitri; the deceased

When the

soul has entered

is

then associated with his

future offerings are called pitri-kriya.

See Carey's Ramayana,

is

39

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

constancy,

Yama

The

grants a boon without exception.

delighted Savitri

exclaims
" Nought, mighty king, this time hast thou excepted

Without him I must

"Thus

"

So be

it

my

husband

story, of

which

live

itself;

faithful wife," replied the

king of death

and with that he loosed the cord that bound

I release him;"

The whole
will, if

die."

let

Without him I desire not happiness, nor even heaven

his soul.

have merely given the briefest outline,

read in the original, well repay the reader for the labour of his

Sanskrit studies.
I

have already stated that the episodes of the Maha-bharata occupy

more than three-fourths of the whole poem.

It is

poem, but a compilation of many poems

Kdvya by one

but an Itihdsa by
in

comparing

story,

it

many

This

authors.

with the Ramayana.

is

not a

author,

one great distinctive feature

In both epics there

a leading

is

about which are collected a multitude of other stories;

main narrative only

the Maha-bharata the

one

in fact not

but in

acts as a slender thread to

connect a vast mass of independent legends together; while in the

Ramayana the

episodes, though numerous, never break the solid chain

of one principal and paramount subject, which

ever kept in view.

should be remembered that the tw o epics belong to different periods

It

and

is

Not only was

different localities.

than the Ramayana, parts of

places

it

the Maha-bharata

composed

later

being comparatively modern, but the

which gave birth to the two poems are

It is well

distinct.

known

that in India different customs and opinions frequently prevail in districts

almost adjacent

and

the ascendancy in the

certain that

Brahmanism never gained

more martial north which

neighbourhood of Oude.
parallel to the

it is

Each poem

therefore,

it

acquired in the

though often running

other, has yet a distinct point of departure

Maha-bharata, as

it

became current

widely from the straight course than

in various localities,
its

elder sister.

In

and the

diverged more
fact,

the

Maha-

bharata presents a complete circle of post-Vedic mythology, including

many myths which have

its

their

germ

in the Veda,

and continually enlarging

circumference to embrace the later phases of Hinduism, with

its

whole

40

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

From this storehouse are

many of the more recent heroic poems and
dramas. Here we have repeated many of the legends of the Ramayana,
and even the history of Rama himself f. Here also are most of the narand

train of confused

drawn

conflicting legends*.

the Puranas, and

all

numberless stories connected with

ratives of the incarnation of Vishnu,

the worship of

and various

S'iva,

details of the life of Krishna.

Those

which especially bear on the modern worship of Krishna are contained in

the supplement called Hari-vans'a, which

is far

Ramayana.

more popular,

liberal,

Rama

latter

is

is

with

Rama

The

||.

five

Pandavas have

* It should be noted, that not only

epic poetry to be

in

sometimes repeated in
;

as, for

connected with Krishna

Ramayana, but

is

the

His divinity

itself is

Rama

story of

sacredness,

is

is

to protect

represents

'

is

Maha-bharata, with considerable variaair

and thunder,

enveloping clouds and vapour.'

See Vana-

Compare

also the

Pigeon,' Vana-parva, 10558, with Anusasana-parva, 2046.

t Ramopakhyana, book

The

there adumbrated

who were supposed

example, the story of the combat of Indra, the god of

Hawk and

and

germ of many of the legends of Hindu

parva, 8690 et seq.; and compare with Santi-parva, 10124 et seq.

'

is

even occasionally

is

It should also be observed that the same legend

different parts of the

demon Vyitra, who

story of the

in the

also partially divine natures,

laudatory of Indra and other gods

the Arya races from the Anaryas.

with the

is

in the

found in the Rig-veda, but that epic poetry

hymns and songs

tions

of the Maha-

every thing; whereas in the Maha-bharata, Krishna

by no means the centre of the system.

disputed

poem, longer than

and comprehensive than that of the

god Vishnu

It is true that the

Maha-bharata, as he

in the

a long

Hence the religious system

the Iliad and Odyssey combined J.

bharata

is itself

III. (15913);

and again alluded

one of those stock-subjects of Indian

to in

Drona-parva (2224).

literature,

which, from

its

so dear to popular reminiscences, that Sanskrit poets are never tired of

Bhavabhuti has dramatized

and Uttara-Rama-

repeating

it.

charitra

and other dramatists have done the same, just as Greek poets dramatized

the Homeric narratives.

The

story

is still

it

in the Vira-charitra

acted every year in districts near the

modern

Oude.
X

The Hari-vansa bears

to the

Maha-bharata a relation very similar to that which

the Uttara-kanda, or last book of the Ramayana, bears to the preceding books of
that poem.
||

As by

The

Iliad

S'is'upala

and Odyssey together contain about 30,000

and others.

See Muir's Sanskrit Texts,

vol.

lines.

IV. p. 151.

41

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

by turns become prominent.

Sometimes Arjuna, sometimes Yudhish-

Bhima, appears to be the principal orb round which

thira, at others

the plot moves

*.

Moreover

in various passages Siva is described as

supreme, and receives worship from Krishna.

exalted above

Ramayana

and

all,

receives

In others, Krishna

honour from Siva

In

f-

generally represents one-sided and exclusive

fact,

Brahmanism

the Maha-bharata reflects the multilateral character of Hinduism;

monotheism and polytheism,

ness and laxity,

its

its priestcraft

spirituality

and

and materialism,

J,
its

its strict-

anti -priestcraft, its hierarchical into-

Not

lerance and free-thinking philosophy, combined.

any intentional variety

is

while the

in the original design of the

that there

was

work, but that almost

every shade of opinion found expression in a compilation formed by

gradual accretion through a long period.

In unison with

Maha-bharata has

more

its

of

less

secular, popular,

mere mythical

rical probability in its narratives

contains

many more

ners than the

that of the

more ancient

interpolations

Hence

epic.

The bulk

domestic and social

histoalso

it

and man-

life

Its diction again is

more varied than

poem

(notwithstanding

of the latter

and additions) being by one author,

form simplicity

and more of

than the Ramayana.

illustrations of

Ramayana.

and human character, the

allegory,

is

and the antiquity of the greater part

written with uniis

proved by the

absence of studied elaboration, and the use of occasional irregular forms

The Maha-bharata, on

of grammar.

simple and natural in

ficial

its

the other hand, though generally

language, and free from the conceits and

constructions of later writers, comprehends a greater diversity of

composition, rising sometimes (especially

when

the Indravajra metre

* In this respect the Maha-bharata resembles the Iliad.

regarded as

its

hero.

Achilles can scarcely be

is

not merely an incarnation of Vishnu

known

that in

Homer

premacy of one god (Jove), and due subordination of the other

deities,

is

Some

(Schl.)

Brahma, the supreme

free thought,

VI.

lxii.

is

Other warriors too much divide the interest with him.

t In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna

identified with

arti-

spirit.

however, has found

15 (Goit.)

VI.

It is well

its

way

into the

lxxxiii. 14 (Calc. edit.).

Ramayana

he

is

the su-

maintained.
;

sec II. cviii

42

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

employed)

to the higher style,

and using not only loose and

irregular,

but also studiously complex grammatical forms*.

In contrasting the two Indian poems with the Iliad and the Odyssey,

we may

observe

many

been already pointed out, and others

end of
genius

We

this book.
of,

two very

Some

points of similarity.

have

parallel passages

be noted in the analysis at the

will

must of course expect

to find the distinctive

different people in widely distant localities, colouring

their epic poetry very differently, notwithstanding general features of

resemblance.

Though

derful than the

no

the

Ramayana and Maha-bharata

Homeric poems

as

less interesting as pictures of

are

no

less

won-

monuments of the human mind, and

human life and manners in ancient

times, they bear in a remarkable degree that peculiar impress ever

stamped on the productions of Asiatic nations, and separating them from

European.

On

the side of art and

more compete with the

line of the

harmony of proportion, they can no

and the Odyssey than the unnatural out-

Iliad

ten-headed and twenty-armed Ravana can bear comparison

with the symmetry of a Grecian statue. While the one commends

most refined

to the

excites the

by

classical taste, the other

wonder of the

itself

exaggerations only

its

Asiatic mind, or if attractive to the European,

can only please an imagination nursed in an Oriental school.

Thus, in the

Iliad, time, space,

range

is

almost unbounded.

The Ramayana,

the Odyssey than the Iliad.

the greater simplicity of
episodes,

restricted within

but in the Ramayana and Maha-bharata their

single individual with tolerable continuity,

irrelevant

all

In the Odyssey they are allowed a wider though

the narrowest limits.

not too wide a cycle

and action are

it

its

is

it

life

of a

more

like

traces the

In other points, especially in

style,

and

its

plot,

comparative freedom from

its

more resembles the

graphic passages in both the

as

in this respect

Iliad.

There are many

Ramayana and Maha-bharata which,

beauty of description, cannot be surpassed by any thing in Homer.

*

The use

metre
always

of irregular grammatical forms

is

thus vyavasishydmi

is

It

sometimes due to the exigency of the

thus, parinaydmdsa for parindyaydmdsa,

for

md

bhaih for

md

bhaishih

but not

used where the metre would admit of vyavasdsydmi.

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

43

should be observed, however, that the diction of the Indian epics

more polished, regular, and

is

and the language altogether in a

cultivated,

more advanced stage of development* than that of Homer.

This, of

course, tells to the disadvantage of the style on the side of nervous force

and vigour; and

it

must be admitted

poems there

that in the Sanskrit

a great redundance of epithets, too liberal a use of metaphor, simile,

hyperbole, and far too

much

and

repetition, amplification,

is

and

prolixity.

Let the reader of these poems, however, bear in mind, that Oriental
compositions must not be judged from an exclusively European point

In the eyes of a Hindu, quality

of view.

and even quantity does not commend

The

soned with exaggeration.

will

depend upon

is

nothing without quantity

reader's appreciation of

his familiarity with Indian

the taste, unless sea-

itself to

many

passages

mythology, as well as with

Oriental customs, scenery, and even the habits and appearances of the

Most

animal creation in the East.

are taken

tigers t, or

from peculiarities

are certainly

An

Hindu

epic poetry

in the aspect of Indian plants

and natural

Then, as to the description of scenery, in which Hindu poets

objects.

more graphic and picturesque than

interval of

many

centuries

place the

Ramayana very

close to

either

Greek or Latin

J,

must have separated the language of the Indian

from that of the Rig-veda.

epics

of the similes in

from the motions of Asiatic animals, such as elephants and

comparison of diction would,

Manu,

if

not to

make

think, lead us to

these works nearly contem-

poraneous.
'
t Thus any eminent or courageous person would be spoken of as a tiger of a man.'
Other favourite animals in similes are the Hon (sinha), the ruddy goose (chakravdka

or rathdnga), the buffalo (mahisha), the boar (vardha), the

kila),

the heron (kraiaicha), the ox (gavaya,

i.

e.

koi'l

or Indian cuckoo (ko-

bos gavmis), &c. &c.

It

should be

noted, however, that similes in the Indian epics, though far too frequent (see p. 25 of
this book), are generally confined to

a few words, and not, as in Homer, drawn out

for three or four lines.

The

ral to

Twining accounts

for this

look upon nature with

Homer

are too short

and gene-

They want more colouring and minuteness

of detail.

descriptions of scenery

be really picturesque.

and natural objects

in

by observing that the Greek poets were not accustomed

a painter's eye.

(Poetics, p. 4^.)
(;

to

44

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

whole appearance of external nature

the

exube-

the

the East,

in

rance of vegetation, the profusion of trees and fruits and flowers*, the
glare of burning skies, the freshness of the rainy season, the fury of

mould

storms, the serenity of Indian moonlight f, and the gigantic

which natural objects are generally cast

are difficult to be realized

these and

We

by a European.

ance for the difference in eastern manners

wide margin
of

all

in this direction,

it

many

must

in

other features

also

make

allow-

though, after conceding a

must be confessed that the disregard

delicacy in laying bare the most revolting particulars of certain

ancient legends which

(especially in the

we now and then encounter

Maha-bharata)

disfigures the pages of

and one which never

a serious blot,

is

Homer, notwithstanding

in the Indian epics

Yet there are not wanting indications

of expression.

in the Indian epics

of a higher degree of civilization than that represented in the

The

poems.

battle-fields of the

freedom

his occasional

Homeric

Ramayana and Maha-bharata, though

abounding in childish exaggerations, are not made barbarous by wanton

cruelties J

and the descriptions of Ayodhya and Lanka imply

far greater

luxury and refinement than those of Sparta and Troy.

The constant

interruption of the principal story (as before described)

episodes, in both

by tedious

Ramayana and Maha-bharata, added

the rambling prolixity of the story

the chief drawback in
*

Hindu

The immense profusion

itself, will

of flowers of

trees alluded to in epic poetry are, the

all

kinds

Some

is

of the

indicated by the

number of

most common flowers and

chuta or mango ; the as'oka (described by Sir

William Jones)

rind (amlika)

the jasmine (of which there are

yuthika, &c.)

always be regarded as

epic poetry, and constitutes one of the

botanical terms in a Sanskrit dictionary.

kandhu)

to

the kins'uka (butea frondosa, with beautiful red blossoms); the tama-

the kuruvaka (amaranth)

the pomegranate (dadima)

the

many

varieties,

such as malati,

the sandal (chandana)

kadamba

(nipa)

jati,

the jujube (kar-

the tamarisk (pichula)

the vakula, karnikara, s'ringata, &c.

f There
% There

is
is

a beautiful description of night in

Ramayana

(Gorr.)

I.

xxxvi. 15, &c.

something savage in Achilles' treatment of Hector ; and the

cruelties

permitted by Ulysses, in the 2 2d book of the Odyssey, are almost revolting.

Com-

pare with these Rama's treatment of his fallen foe Ravana, in the Yuddha-kanda.

45

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

and the Greek.

Even

however, the Iliad has not escaped the censure of

critics.

most marked features of distinction between

in this respect,

Many

believe that this

poem

the result of the fusion of different

is

songs on one subject, long current in various

later interpolations,

But the

something

artistic instincts

it

after the

localities,

intermixed with

manner of the Maha-bharata.

of the Greeks required that

all

the parts and

appendages and more recent additions should be blended into one com-

Although we have

homogeneous, and symmetrical whole.

pact,

tainly in

Homer

cer-

occasional digressions or parentheses, such as the

e

description of the

shield of Achilles/ the

these are not like the Indian episodes.

'

story of

Venus and Mars/

If not absolutely essential to

the completeness of the epic conception, they appear to arise naturally

out of the business of the plot, and cause no violent disruption of

With

unity.

eastern writers

continuity was often designedly interrupted.

together a
frieze,

number

They

preferred to string

of distinct stories, like detached figures on a running

rather than combine

finished

them

into one

harmonious

outline, like the

group on a medallion. They even purposely broke the sequence

of each story; so that before one was ended another was

and

its

and compilers of legendary narratives,

was completed, others were interwoven

ere this

commenced,

the result being a

curious intertwining of stories within stories, the slender thread of an

original narrative
is

afforded

tales called

all.

familiar instance of this

by the Arabian Nights/ and by the well-known

'

HitopadesV (known

same tendency
far

running through them

in

Europe

collection of

as Pilpay^s Fables)

observable in the composition of their epic

is

and the

poems

more, however, in the Maha-bharata than in the Ramayana.

Passing on to a comparison of the plot and the personages of the

Ramayana with those

done, that either
true,

and so

far

of the Iliad,

poem has been

without supposing, as some have

imitated from the other,

remarkable, that the subject of both

is

it is

certainly

war under-

taken to recover the wife of one of the warriors, carried off by a hero

on the other side

laus, Sita to

and that Rama,

in this respect, corresponds to

Helen, Sparta to Ayodhya, Lanka to Troy.

It

Mene-

may even

46

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

may be

be true that some sort of analogy

Agamemnon and

played by

and Jambavat

*,

traced between the part

ts

Sugriva, Patroclus and Lakshmana, Nestor

Again, Ulysses

one respect,

f, in

may be compared

Hanumat; and Hector, as the bravest warrior on

may in some points be likened to Indrajit, in others

the Trojan side,

to

Vibhishana

Other resemblances

J.

will

to the indignant

be pointed out in the analysis;

but these comparisons cannot be carried out to any extent without

encountering

common

nothing in
Achilles
is

difficulties

Rama's character has

at every step.

with that of Menelaus, and very

little

with that of

although, as the bravest and most powerful of the warriors, he

rather to be compared with the latter than the former hero.

occasionally Achillean, his whole nature

anger he

is

and

human mould than

less

really

If in his

is

cast in a higher

that of the Grecian hero.

Sita also rises

in character far above Helen, and even above Penelope

||,

both in her

sublime devotion and loyalty to her husband, and her indomitable

As

patience and endurance under suffering and temptation.

and Lakshmana, they are models of fraternal duty

rata

maternal tenderness

Dasaratha of paternal love

generally that the whole moral tone of the

Troy

is

and when that

Ramayana
drama

satisfied the

is

for

Bha-

Kaus'alya of

and it may be affirmed

Again, in the Iliad the subject

that of the Iliad.

of Achilles

is

is

certainly above

really the anger

closes.

The

fall

of

not considered necessary to the completion of the plot. Whereas

Jambavat was the

When

chief of the bears,

who was

always giving sage advice.

any work had to be done which required peculiar

was entrusted to

skill

or stratagem,

it

7ro\vnr)Tis 'Odvcro-evs.

% Hector, like Vibhishana,

was indignant with the

to fight on his brother's side.

It is

ravisher, but

he does not refuse

on the strength of these analogies that M. Hip-

polyte Fauche, in the preface to his very

commendable French

translation of the

Ramayana, concludes that the Ramayana was composed before the Homeric poems,

and that Homer took

appears to
||

me

his ideas

from

it.

One cannot

almost needless to say that this opinion

help suspecting Penelope of giving

allowing herself to be surrounded by so

advances.

It is

wholly untenable.

many

way

suitors,

to a

little

womanly vanity

though she repudiated

in

their

47

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

in the

Ramayana

the whole action points to the capture of

No

destruction of the ravisher.

Lanka and

one too can read either the Ramayana

Homeric poems

or Maha-bharata without feeling that they rise above the

in this

rative,

and that the wildest allegory may be intended to conceal a sublime

that a deep religious

meaning appears

to underlie all the nar-

moral; symbolizing the conflict between good and

and teaching

evil,

the hopelessness of victory in so terrible a contest without purity of

and the subjugation of the passions.

soul, self-abnegation,

As

to

Europe

any

known

well

it is

Durga

to Jupiter*;

Venus t;

between the mythology of the epics of India and

parallel

that Indra and Siva offer points of analogy

Sri to Ceres; Prithivi to Cybele

in his earlier character, to

or

Skanda

to

Vulcan

to
;

Mars

Kama

Uranus

Yama

J;

to

Cupid

mythology Aruna,

later

Juno; Krishna

or Parvati to

to

Narada

Aurora

Varuna

to

Kuvera

to

to Plutus

Mercury

Vayu

Kartikeya

Vis'wakarma

Ushas, and in the

Ganes'a to Janus

||

to ^Eolus

Rati to

Neptune^ and,

Saraswati to Minerva

to Pluto;
;

to Apollo;

the As'wini-kumaras to the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux; Vaitarani to

Styx

Kailasa and

* Indra

is

Meru

to Ida

and Olympus.

always the Dyu-pati or Dyaush-pitar (Diespiter),

wields the thunderbolt, and in the earlier mythology

Zeus.

is

who

sends rain and

the chief of the gods, like

Subsequently his worship was superseded by that of Krishna and

S'iva.

t In one or two points Lakshmi may be compared to Venus.

X It
as the
still

is

curious that Kartikeya, the war-god,

god of

thieves.

display such skill

is

represented in

(See Mrichchhakati, Act III.)

and ingenuity, that a god

more appropriate patron.

like

Kartikeya was the son of

Hindu mythology

Indian thieves displayed and

Mercury would appear to be a

S'iva, just as

Mars was the

off-

spring of Jupiter.
||

As Mercury was

These ever-youthful twin sons of the Sun, by

formed into a mare

the inventor of the lyre, so Narada was of the vina or lute.

(as'wini), are

heroic mythology, both

against their enemies.

by

their exploits

They

his wife Sanjna,

who was

trans-

very similar to the classical Dioscuri, belonging to

and the aid they render

to their worshippers

are constantly, however, introduced in the Rig-veda,

where they are connected with the sun, and

may typify the two luminous

precede the dawn, or perhaps the morning and evening star.

points which

48

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

Yet

in reality

poems

the mythology of the Indian

it is

that consti-

tutes one of the principal features of contrast in comparing

We

the Homeric.

outlines of so wide

them with

cannot of course do more than indicate here the bare

and so interesting a subject

as that of a comparative

estimate of the mythologies of India and Greece.

It

need scarcely be

pointed out that such comparison should begin with the Veda, and not

with the epic poems.

careful study of the Vedic records proves

beyond a doubt that the source of

and European mythologies

Asiatic

the same, just as the origin of Indo-European races

the same.

is

common home, men

idealizing, personifying,

gies of nature

satisfied their

first

religious

In

Hindus had

that primeval country, where the ancestors of Greeks and

their

is

instincts

by

and worshipping the principal powers and ener-

the wind, the storm, the

on which, as an agricultural and pastoral

fire,

the sun

the elements

race, their welfare depended.

This was the simple religion of nature which the Aryan family carried
with them when they separated, and which they cherished in their

wanderings

and

in this

we must
Once

mythological systems*.

trace the

settled

down

germ

of their subsequent

in their

new

resting-places,

simple elemental worship no longer satisfied the religious cravings of

these giant-races, awaking to a consciousness of nascent national

richly peopled

epic poetry
fact the

itself.

mere

mythology arose

The one was

in India

and Greece

as naturally as

the offspring of the other,

poetical expression of those high aspirations

the Aryan character.

Religious ideas

the Greek, unguided

by

and was in

which marked

a sense of dependence on a

higher Power, and a desire to realize his presence

growth and strengthened with

their strength.

grew

with their

Soon the Hindu,

direct revelation, personified, deified,

of the mind.

Soon he began

and

intellectual qualities

to regard every

and

is

shown

to resemble strikingly a

hymn

all

the

faculties

grand or useful object as

* In a paper just published by Mr. C. Bruce, an ancient Homeric

Earth

like

and wor-

shipped not only the powers exhibited in external nature, but

internal feelings, passions, moral

life.

in the Atharva-veda.

hymn

to the

49

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

a mere visible manifestation of the supreme Providence presiding over

the universe, and every departed hero or deceased benefactor as a mere

incarnation of the same

all- wise

Then, to give

and omnipresent Ruler.

expression to the varied attributes and functions of this great Being,

thus visibly manifested to the world, both Hindu and Greek peopled
their

pantheons with numerous divine and semi-divine creations, cloth-

ing them with male and female forms, and inventing in connexion with

them various

fanciful

myths,

and

fables,

which the undis-

allegories,

criminating multitude accepted as realities, without at

all

understanding

the ideas they symbolized.

But

which was

in Greece, mythology,

when

tematized

in

many

poems were composed

the Homeric

certain limits, or outgrew (so to speak) a certain

In the Iliad and the Odyssey, a god

manity.

His form and

same source

never passed
outline.

idealized

huthis

little

more than

the other hand, springing from the

and ramifying with the

as that of Europe, but, spreading

rank luxuriance of an Indian

*,

symmetry of

seldom out of keeping with

is

his actions are

Hindu mythology, on

character.

respects fully sys-

forest, speedily

outgrew

all

harmony of

proportions, and surrounded itself with an intricate and impenetrable

undergrowth of monstrous and confused allegory.

the Indian and Grecian epics preserve

some

resembling each other in various ways

exhibiting

human

heroes, furnishing

protect them.

Doubtless the gods of

common origin,
human concerns,

traces of their

interfering in

infirmities, taking part in the battles of their favourite

them with

But even

celestial

in the

arms, or interposing directly to

Ramayana, where Hindu mythology may

be regarded as not fully developed, the shape and operations of divine

and semi-divine beings are generally suggestive of the monstrous, the

Herodotus says (Euterpe, 53) that" Homer and Hesiod framed the Greek Theo-

gony, gave distinctive names to the gods, distributed functions to them, and described
their forms."

that

that

Homer
Homer

conclude that by the verb

invented the myths.

At any

noiclv,

rate,

Herodotus did not mean to imply

the received opinion

merely gave system to a mythology already current.

apprehend to be

50

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

frightful^ the

who

hideous, and the incredible *

the deeds of

heroes,

its

are themselves half-gods, transport the imagination into the region

of the wildest chimaera; and a whole pantheon presents

teeming

itself,

with grotesque and unwieldy symbols, with horrible creations, halfanimals half-gods, with man-eating ogres f, many-headed giants and
disgusting demons, to an extent which the refined and delicate sensibilities

of the Greeks and

Romans could not have

tolerated J.

Moreover, in the Indian epics the boundaries between the natural

and supernatural, between earth and heaven, between the

divine,

human,

and even animal creations, are singularly vague and undefined; troops
*

The human form, however

pression of divine attributes.

five-headed

and

it is

idealized,

Brahma

was seldom thought adequate to the exfour-faced, S'iva three-eyed

is

very unusual to find a

It is true that

Hindu god with

Homer now and then

horrors of the

demon Kabandha,

in the

all

but even

probability, like the exaggerated

3d book of the Ramayana.

X This difference in the mythology becomes

borne in mind that the wildest

number of arms.

a limited

indulges in monstrous creations

the description of Polyphemus does not outrage

this very

and sometimes

Indra has a thousand eyes, Kartikeya six faces, Ravana ten heads, &c.

still

more deserving of

note,

when

Ramayana and Maha-bharata

fictions of the

day intimately bound up with the creed of the Hindus.

It is

it is

are to

probable that

the more educated Hindus, like the more refined Greeks and Romans, regarded and
still

regard the fictions of mythology as allegorical or symbolical; but in Europe

and Asia the mass of the people, not understanding symbols, or troubling themselves
about the mystical significance of
accepted every thing in

its literal

allegories,

took these

fictions for real stories,

Among European

and immediate meaning.

and

nations,

however, even the ductile faith of the masses was sufficiently controlled by reason

and common sense to prevent the poetry of

extravagance of allegory
in

and much

as the

men from

any part of the world now dreams of placing the slightest

as to connect

them with

religious opinions

logical inventions of the Indian epics are

In

religious

Homeric poems

fact,

the capacity of an uneducated

and accepting the most monstrous

and
still

Hindu

practices.

still

admired, no one

faith in their legends, so

But the

wildest mytho-

for believing the grossest absurdities,

fictions as realities, is apparently unlimited.

Hence the absence of

relation of facts has

attempting any great

closely interwoven with present faith.

a decent approximation to the actualities of real

imagination.

are

all

no charm whatever.

life is

Even

too insipid for his glowing

history in the literature of India.

plain

51

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

of deities and semi-divine personages appear on the stage on every

occasion; gods, men, and animals are ever changing places*.

In

fact,

not merely in a confused, exaggerated, and overgrown mythology

it is

that the difference between the Indian and Grecian epics

the injudicious and excessive use of

It is in

lies.

and the forced obtrusion of the

it,

wild ideas and doctrines connected with a boundless religious faith.

Ramayana and Maha-bharata,

the

are every

In

the spiritual and the supernatural

where so dominant and overpowering, that any thing merely

human seems

In the Iliad and the Odyssey,

altogether out of place.

the religious and supernatural element are perhaps scarcely less pre-

The gods

valent.

they do so as

they were themselves

if

and superintending; but

are continually interposing

removed from men, or

little

humanity.

tralizing its general air of plain matter-of-fact

Homer

that in
soul,

and

its

there

Again, granted

frequent mention of the future existence of the

is

condition of happiness or misery hereafter, and that the

Homeric descriptions of disembodied

spirits

many

correspond in

with the Hindu notions on the same subject f

Homer

human concerns appear

poems the

unreal

nor

there in his

is

allusion to the soul's pre-existence in a former body,

and

as to

make

slightest

its liability

to

Animals figure to a certain extent in Grecian mythology, and arrogate human

Thus Homer makes Xanthus, the horse of

functions.

voice

man

points

yet even these doctrines

do not stand out with such exaggerated reality in

at

without destroying the dramatic probability of the poem, or neu-

least

and warn him of

is

his fate

not so undefined as

it

(II.

XIX.

made

is

404).

Achilles, speak in a

But the

line

Hindu mythology by the

in

human

between animals and

doctrine of the

transmigration of souls.

t See the following passages, which bear on the existence of the

as an eldcoXov in
It is
is

Hades

curious that the

II.

XXIII.

Hindu notion

performed (see note,

p.

72, 104

Od. XI. 213, 476

\f/vxi)

XX. 355

after death

XXIV.

14.

of the restless state of the soul until the s'raddha

38) agrees with the ancient classical superstition that the

ghosts of the dead wandered about as long as their bodies remained unburied, and

were not suffered to mingle with those of the other dead.

XXIII. 72

and

cf.

JEn. VI. 325

Lncan

II.:

I.

Eur. Hec. 30.

Sec Odysa. XI.

,-,4:

II.

52

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

pass into other bodies hereafter, which in Hindu poetry invests present
actions with a mysterious meaning, and gives a deep distinctive colour-

ing to Indian theology*.

Above

all,

although priests are occasionally mentioned in the Iliad

and the Odyssey, there

wholly wanting in the Homeric poems any

is

recognition of a regular hierarchy, or the necessity for a mediatorial

caste of sacrificers f.

This, which

may

of the Indian epics,

more or

woven

less

into their very tissue.

has been at work in these productions almost as

craft

is

be called the sacerdotal element

The

metempsychosis, which was

essentially Asiatic doctrine of

the Greeks

till

prevails far

more

Pythagoras,
in

may account

Hindu than

for the

much

little

Not only

in classical mythology.
is

their

often turned,

known among

is

a constant com-

mutual interdependance

that gods, men, and animals seem constantly to need each others' help.
difficulties

as the

mixing up of earth and heaven which

munication kept up between the two worlds, but such

mortals are assisted out of their

Priest-

by divine

If distressed

interposition, the tables are

and the poor gods, being themselves reduced to

pitiful straits, are forced

to implore the aid of mortal warriors in their conflicts with the demons.

need

scarcely refer to the well-known examples of this in the S'akuntala and Vikramorvasi,

Again, not only are

&c.

men

often aided

by animals which usurp human functions,

but even the gods are dependant upon them, and are poetically described as using

them

for vehicles

half a

food

man

Brahma

S'iva

on a

bull.

is

on a swan ; Vishnu on an

carried

The dependance

only an extension of the same idea.

is

sacrifices offered to

them by human

in troops, eager for their shares.

They

is

also

actual

are represented as living on the

In

fact, sacrifice

with the Hindus

is

not merely

necessary for the actual support of the gods.

were no

gods would be

sacrifices the

which

beings, and at every sacrificial ceremony assemble

expiatory or placatory

it is

eagle,

Hindu gods on mortals for

of the

liable to starvation.

If there

This alone will account for

the very natural interest they take in the destruction of the demons, whose great aim

and

object

was to obstruct these sources of

their sustenance.

Much

in the

same way

the ghosts of dead men, according to the Hindus, are supposed to depend on the
living,

and

to be actually fed with cakes

king, or any other individual,

out the help of priests.

of a 0voo-k6os, or

and the smoke

'

See

is

and

libations at the srdddha ceremonies.

allowed in

Homer

to perform a sacrifice with-

we read occasionally
who prophesied from the appearance of the flame
See II. XXIV. 221 Odyss. XXI. 144 XXII. 319.

II. II.

Nevertheless

411; III. 392.

sacrifice-viewer,'

at the sacrifice.

53

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

imagination of the poet

human and

knowledge,

and Brahmanism, claiming a monopoly of

divine, has appropriated this, as

other department of literature, and warped

it

policy being to check the development of intellect,

castes in perpetual childhood,

it

it

was calculated

Ramayana than of

true of the

epic, full as

it

is

space by millions of miles

thing

is

thought of

it

brought into the

Even
hibit

much

skill,

awaken.
;

This

is

but even in the

Time

and

is

later

field *.

w here Hindu poets

r

ex-

they cannot avoid ministering to the craving for the

is

inseparable from their nature.

are like Shakespeare's.

are sometimes praeterhuman, they

They

are true heroes, if

f.

what they do or say

If their deeds

do not commit improbabilities which

he allows them to delineate themselves.

photographs, in

human

Moreover, he does not seem to delineate his

are absolutely absurd.

;

more

a battle has to be described, no-

if

but they are always men ; never perfect, never free from

characters

most

measured by millions of years,

weaknesses, inconsistencies, and caprices of temper

like

in the

unless millions of soldiers, elephants, and horses

Homer's characters
will,

to

the Maha-bharata

in the delineation of heroic character,

marvellous which

inferior

of geographical, chronological, and historical details,

few assertions can be trusted.

you

and keep the

Its

The more improbable the statement,

extravagant European fairy-tale.

the more childish delight

has every

encouraged an appetite for exaggera-

more monstrous and absurd than would be tolerated

tion

are

it

own purposes.

to its

all

all

the reality of nature.

They appear

J.

We

They stand out

are not so

much

told

rather to speak and act for them-

* See extract from Aristotle's Poetics, p. 27, note f.

How

far

more natural

is

Achilles, with all his faults, than

painful correctness of conduct

on the dead Hector

strikes us as

Even the
more

Rama, with

his almost

cruel vengeance that Achilles perpetrates

likely to

be true than Rama's magnanimous

treatment of the fallen Ravana.

X Aristotle says that

one

that he

was proper

is

for

"among the many just claims of Homer to our praise, this

who seems to have understood what part in his poem

the only poet

him

to take himself.

The

poet, in his

own

is
it

person, should speak as

54

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

selves.

In the Hindu epics the poet gives us too long and too tedious

own person

descriptions in his

too good or too bad.

and, as a rule, his characters are either

True, even the better heroes sometimes commit

what a European would

crimes

call

but

if

are too

men
We
much one

colour.

and

little artistic

blending of opposite hues.

*.

like

see in

them no

human

real

men

real

if

There

is

miss

no mirror held up

his ninety-nine brothers

among

Lakshmana

the heroes of the

still

many

In

not unlike that of Achilles

heroes the Indian poet

we have

We

fiends.

those of the Maha-bharata.

is

pictures

and shadow,

the one side

they were not so uniformly vicious.

Bhima among

human

On

Duryodhana and

the character of the latter

ing his most

The

light

demons or

all

has perhaps the most natural character

yana, and

they do not sin

portraits of ourselves.

beings with mixed characters.

to inconsistent humanity.

would be

sin,

There are few gradations of

gods or demigods; on the other,

all

they

Rama-

respects

but in draw-

displays a perpetual

tendency to run into extravagance.

It

must be admitted, however, that

in exhibiting pictures of domestic

and manners the Sanskrit epics are even more valuable than the

life

Greek and Roman.

throws aside

keyi, Kaus'alya,

In the delineation of

Mandodari

the

Hindu poet

few preparatory

after a

duces a man, a woman, or some other character; for

all

Kai-

Ravanaf), and even

(the favourite wife of

Homer,

as possible

little

women

exaggerated colouring, and draws from nature.

all

lines,

immediately intro-

have their character." (Poetics

III. 3.)

The Pandavas were

certainly guilty of one

anxiety to provide for their

caste
alive.

woman and
But the

act of treachery.

In their

her five sons into their inflammable lac-house, and then burnt her

the end of this book.

cruelty in mutilating

What

inhuman

escape from a horrible death, they enticed an out-

guilt of this transaction

an outcaste ; and besides,

own

it is

is

neutralized to a

Bhima who

Rama and Lakshmana

Surpanakha ; but

Hindu by the woman being

sets fire to the house.

See the analysis at

again were betrayed into a piece of

for this the fiery

Lakshmana was

responsible.

can be more natural than Mandodari's lamentations over the dead body of

Ravana, and her allusions to his

fatal passion for Sita, in the

book of the Ramayana ? (Gorresio's

edition.)

95th chapter of the 6th

55

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

the

hump-backed Manthara,

padi,

are all

and Damayanti engage our

drawn

to the very

and our

affections

than Helen, or even than Penelope.

Indeed,

rally perfect patterns of conjugal fidelity

more

interest far

Hindu wives

nor can

Drau-

Sita,

life.

it

are gene-

be doubted that

in these delightful portraits of the Pativrata or devoted wife

we have

Hindu domestic
gather from the epic poems
position occupied by Hindu

true representations of the purity and simplicity of

We may also
many interesting hints as to the social
women before the Muhammadan conquest.
manners

in early times *.

mayana and Maha-bharata without coming

habit of secluding

women, and of

No
them

treating

certain extent, natural to all eastern nations,

liest

times

No

Yet no one,

modern European

tion was carried even in

who out

them
t

It

the fair

fail

little

matters

to

to

observe, that

to

inferiority

The extent

ideas of independence.

is,

in the ear-

than

which

is

com-

this devo-

curiously exemplified by the story of Gandhari,

is

of sympathy for her blind husband never appeared in public without a veil

over her face.

to

same time, can

at the

as inferiors,

and prevailed

doubt the devotion of a Hindu wife implied greater

patible with

princes,

one can read the Ra-

to the conclusion that the

Hence, during the grand sham-fight between the Kuru and Pandu

Vidura stood by Dhritarashtra, and Kunti by Gandhari, to describe the scene

(Astrasiksha, 34).

was equally natural

to the Greeks

and Romans.

Chivalry and reverence for

sex belonged only to European nations of northern origin,

to hold 'inesse foeminis

sanctum

aliquid.' (Tac.

Germ.

8.)

who were

the

first

That Hindu women

ancient times secluded themselves, except on certain occasions,

may be

in

inferred

from

the word asuryampasyd, given by Panini as an epithet of a king's wife ('one

who

never sees the sun'); a very strong expression, stronger even than the pardanishiri

of the

Muhammadans.

It is to

xcix. 33) there is clear allusion to

term Avarodha,

Muhammadans

'

be observed also that in the Ramayana (VI.

some

sort of seclusion being practised

secluded or guarded place,'

for the

women's apartments.

of Vatsa, with his chamberlain and the envoy

is

and the

In the Ratnavali, however, the minister

from Ceylon, are admitted

there in the presence of the queen and her damsels

chapter of the 6th book of the

used long before the time of the

Ramayana he thinks

an audience

to

and Rama, although

it

in the

99th

necessary to excuse himself fol

permitting his wife to expose herself to the gaze of the crowd, yet expressly (verse 34)

enumerates various occasions on which

it

was allowable

for a

woman

to

show

herself

56

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

women

in India

were subjected to

than they are at present.

women
ence

as having

no

True, the ancient lawgiver, Manu, speaks of

own, and totally unfit for independ-

will of their

but he probably described a

aim of an arrogant priesthood to

own

really existed in his

manism, and
deprived

still

women

at the present

At

time.

which

state of society

of even such freedom as they once enjoyed

day no Hindu

who

first,

is

woman

has, in theory,

not her own mistress

as

man f> and

is

she

away

Rama

subject.

so that

any independence.
not her

is

own

She belongs

whom

to her husband, to

to

she

not considered capable of so high a form of

But

she does not mix freely in society.

I here translate the passage, as

unveiled.

walls,

gives her

She

belongs for ever*.

religion

which

a later period the pride of Brah-

property, and never, under any circumstances, can be.

her father

was the

it

establish, rather than that

more recently the influence of Muhammadanism,

not merely that she

It is

former days

less social restraint in

it

in

bears very remarkably on this interesting

" Neither houses, nor vestments, nor enclosing

says to Vibhishana

nor ceremony, nor regal insignia (raja-satkara), are the screen (avarana) of a

woman.

It is

own

her

In great calamities (vya-

virtue alone (that protects her).

saneshu), at marriages, at the public choice of a husband by maidens (of the Kshatriya
caste), at a sacrifice, at assemblies (sansatsu), it is allowable for all the

world to look

upon women (strinam dars'anam sarvalaukikam)."

*

Hence when her husband

her away.
is

utterly

In

fact,

dies she cannot be remarried, as there is

the remarriage of

opposed to

all

Hindu widows, which

modern Hindu

ideas about

now

is

women

no one to give

permitted by law,

and there can be no

doubt that the passing of this law was one cause of the mutiny of 1857.

from the story of Damayanti, who appoints a second Swayamvara, that in

I* ia c l ear

early times

remarriage was not necessarily a violation of propriety ; though, from Damayanti's

wonder that the new

suitor should

have

failed to see

through her

her vexation at being supposed capable of a second marriage,

it

artifice,

may

and from

be inferred that

a second marriage was even then not altogether reputable.

No

doubt the

inferior capacity of a

epic poems, as well as in later works.

as well as her lord

woman

and master, and her best

speech, p. 13 of this book.

as regards religion

was implied

husband was said to be the

religion

was to please him.

See also the quotation from

rished in the 14th century), at p. 17, note *.

in the

wife's divinity,

See Sita's

Madhava Acharya (who

Such verses

as the following are

flou-

com-

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

ancient times,

when

the epic songs were current in India^

own

not confined to intercourse with their

public

and,

*,

to choose their
It

own husbands from

many

and elevation

dignity

mutual

number

about the female

Ramayana and Maha-bharata.

and submissive to
in

Hindu

character,

(V. 151),

and that much

social

happiness in the

Children are dutiful to their parents J

their superiors

literature

of assembled suitors f.

Nothing can be more beautiful

affection prevailed in families.

'a husband

women were
much

they did very

instances there was considerable

and touching than the pictures of domestic and

mon

of the Kshatriya caste, were occasionally allowed

if

moreover, that in

clear,

is

families

showed themselves unreservedly

as they pleased, travelled about, and

in

,")7

younger brothers are respectful

Bharta hi paramam narya bhushanam, bhushanais vina,

Manu

a wife's chief ornament even without (other) ornaments.'

is

Yasmai dadyat

pita tv

enam bhrata vanumate

tam sansthitam cha na langhayet, Him

'

whom

to

her father

may

brother with her father's consent, let her obey while he lives, and

In book IV. 198,

her never slight him.'

* Especially

married women.

wife

Manu

women

classes

was required

says

pituh, Tarn s'us'rusheta jivan-

give her, or her

when he

dies let

with Sudras.

to obey her

husband

implicitly,

but in other respects she was to be independent (swatantryam arhati, Maha-bhar.

Sita, as

4741).

illustration of

we have

was allowed

seen,

what was said

in a former note,

appeared in the public court of king Dushyanta

self

and

It is certain that

women

herself to the

we may

(Wilson,

so.

still

practise,

Hindu

though

Theatre, vol.

travelled about

Rama comes

I.

in

by her-

to the hermitage

were present at dramatic representations, visited

the temples of the gods, and performed their ablutions with

custom they

army; and,

here add that S'akuntala

Damayanti

mother of

in the Uttara-Rama-charita, the

of Valmiki.

show

to

Muhammadan women

little

privacy

are prohibited

which

last

from doing

I. xliii.)

t The Swayamvara, however, appears to have been something exceptional, and only
to have been allowed in the case of the daughters of kings or Kshatriyas.

padi-swayamvara, 127

see also

Maha-bhar.

J Contrast with the respectful tone of

manner
tion
I

is

in

I.

Hindu

children towards their parents, the harsh

which Telemachus generally speaks to his mother.

quite as noteworthy a feature in the

have been assured by Indian

officers that

Hindu

it is

character

common

themselves almost to starvation-point, that they

1

See Drau-

7926.

for

Filial respect

now

and

affec-

as in ancient times.

unmarried soldiers to stmt

may send home money

to their

aged

58

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

to elder brothers

parents are fondly attached to their children, watch-

over their interests and ready to

ful

welfare

sacrifice

themselves for their

wives are loyal, devoted, and obedient to their husbands,

much independence of character, and do

own opinions husbands are tenderly

yet show

express their

not hesitate to
affectionate to-

wards their wives, and treat them with respect and courtesy
ters

and women generally are virtuous and modest, yet

when

occasion requires, courageous

Indeed,

out the family circle.

affection,

human

epic poetry

and

if

all

we except

and Hector, the

visit

feelings

time and in

It is not often that

it.

harmony reign through-

all

and emotions which

places, that

Sanskrit

In this respect not even Greek epos can

unrivalled.

is

compete with

nature in

daugh-

in depicting scenes of domestic

and expressing those universal

belong to

field

love and

is

it

spirited and,

Homer

takes us out of the battle-

the lamentations over the bodies of Patroclus

of Priam to the tent of Achilles, and the part-

ing of Hector and Andromache, there are no such pathetic passages

in the Iliad as the death of the
for permission to

'

hermit-boy/ the pleadings of Sita

accompany her husband

ordeal-scene at the end of the Ramayana.

into exile,

and the whole

In the Indian epics such

passages abound, and, besides giving a very high idea of the purity

and happiness of domestic

Hindu women

life

in ancient India, indicate

for the discharge

a capacity in

of the most sacred and important

social duties.

We

must guard

against the supposition that the

women

of India at

the present day have altogether fallen from their ancient character.

Notwithstanding the corrupting example of

Muhammad anism, and

the

degrading tendency of modern Hinduism, some remarkable instances

parents.
is

In

fact, in

proportion to the weakness or rather total absence of the national

the strength of the family bond.

children are far

In England, where national

more independent, and

Hindus might teach us a good

lesson.

life is

less respectful to their parents.

strongest,

In this the

59

INDIAN EPIC POETRY.

may

still

be found of moral,

and even

social,

intellectual excellence

may rest assured, that

Muhammadan, are elevated and

These, however, are exceptions, and we

Asiatic

women, whether Hindu

or

cated, our efforts to raise Asiatic nations to the level of

be

fruitless f.

to

honour the weaker sex

their ancient liberty

and raised

what they have done

* In

some

its

for

to a

Europe

Hindu may

still

Manu

faith

and storehouses

still

learn from these

to

higher position by becoming

may do

for our

Eastern empire

soften, invigorate,

and ennoble the

people.

parts of India, especially in the Marathi districts, there

derable freedom of thought and action allowed to

pitrin

will

and that Indian women, restored

joint -partakers of Christ's religion,

character of

edu-

European

Let us hope that w hen the Ramayana and Maha-bharata

of religious tradition, the enlightened

poems

until

no longer be held sacred as repositories of

shall

gives expression to a great truth

mata gauravenatirichyate.

is

still

consi-

women.

when he

says (III. 145), Sahasram tu

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMAYANA.

(Observe

The poem consists of seven books, but the seventh, or Uttara-kanda,

is

generally

admitted to be a later addition.)

BOOK

FIRST

poem

of the

are introductory,

In the

or

BALA-KANDA,

does not begin

till

the earth ?"

and are probably much

Narada then

before heard.
*

As

and should be inclined

itself to

to

add

my opinion,

lyte

Gorresio

upon

it

almost neutralize the advantage

book

it

till

hill in

as a

this hill,

is

the older and

had not arrived at the

it since,

to native prejudices,

its

the district of

practical inconveniences, which,

possesses of a full commentary.

in

M.

St. Hilaire's articles

my own work.
Review (XLV), to whom I am
finished

is

Bundelkund, as

Sita",

the wife of

indebted for

no doubt that Valiniki resided on

his abode.

and tradition has

He

highway robber, but repenting of his misdeeds, betook himself

where he eventually received

M. Hippo-

French of the whole edition of

confluence with the Ganges at Allahabad

Banda

it is

divided

had nearly

of an article in the Calcutta

the banks of the Jumna, near

on

Schlegel

not

hunter shoot a

have then referred to Gor-

but I had not an opportunity of consulting his version, nor

+ The author

life

Out of deference
is

some Valuable remarks on the Ramayana, thinks there

begun

II.

credit for his laborious translation into

in the 'Journal des Savants,'

marked a

river, sees a

others, did I not feel convinced that this edition will never

the use of European students.

Fauche deserves

represented as

is

that ever lived on

have however inserted occasional references to

printed to resemble a MS., and not a single word

in

man

edition of the northern recension

I

real story

four chapters

first

Rama which Valmiki had

Ramayana commenced by

references are to that as far as the end of

The new Calcutta

when I made my analysis.

commend

The

than the body of the poem.

the bravest and best

is

relates briefly the history of

resio's edition.

Bodleian

later in date

Soon afterwards Valmiki, walking near a

the northern recension of the

my

ADI-KANDA.The

chapter the poet Valmiki f, the author of the work,

first

inquiring of the sage Narada, " who

purer,

also called

the 5th chapter of this book *.

is

said to

have

to a hermitage,

Rama, when banished by her

over-

Kusa and Lava (sometimes combined into

one compound, thus Kusl-lavau), who were taught to sing the poem descriptive of their
unknown father's actions, and from whom are traced the proudest Rajput castes. The reviewer
thinks it not unlikely that VaUmfki may have been contemporaneous with the heroes whom
sensitive husband.

There were born her two

sons,

he describes

but this opinion seems to

me

to be based

on

insufficient data.

FIRST BOOK OR BA'LA-Ka'XDA.

f)l

heron, and grieving for the poor bird he curses the hunter in language expressive of

sorrow

his

and
a

in this

poem

His words took the form of a verse, ever afterwards called sloka;

(s'oka).

metre

*, at

command

the

of the solar race of kings, which

the

Anukramamka,

or table of contents

commit the whole poem

It

may be

to

life

commenced

two rhapsodists (Kusa and Lava,

Brahma, he composed the Ramayana,

of the god

celebrating, in 24,000 verses, the

and adventures (ayana) of Rama,

a prince

Ikshwaku. The third chapter contains

in

and the fourth describes the appointment of

and Rama), who were to

really the children of Sita

memory, and sing

it

at assemblies.

useful here to give an abridgment of the genealogy of the solar race of

kings,

commencing with Ikshwaku, the son

Manu,

or

Manu

The

of the present period).

Manu

of the
latter

Vaivaswata (the seventh

was the son of Vivaswat

e.

(i.

the

Muni Kasyapa, who

was the son of the Rishi Marichi, who was the son of Brahma. From Ikshwaku t
sprang the two branches of the solar dynasty that of Ayodhya or Oude, which may
sun,

commonly

The sun again was the son

called Siirya).

of the

be said to have commenced in Kakutstha, the grandson of Ikshwaku (as the latter's

son Vikukshi, father of Kakutstha, did not reign), and that of Mithila, or Videha

commenced

(Tirhut) which

in another of

descent from Kakutstha came Sagara

him Ambarisha

and

genealogy in order

fifteenth

Marichi,

[Vikukshi], Kakutstha
lipa,

Bhagiratha

Hence Rama

is

We

third from

here repeat a portion of the

Sagara

],
[

],

Raghu,

in the 5th chapter with a description of

That the Ramayana

is

capital of the

kingdom

sequent heroic poems,

list

Ayodhya

reckoned by the Hindus to be one of the

is

attributed to

its

is

agrees with the usual one as exhibited

said to be Kukshi,

J Although Ayodhya"

is

or

Oude, a

and

his son

earliest

Indian poems

in

Prinsep's table

now beyond

For

but there

is

consi-

instance, the son of

the Sutlej into the Punjab,

is

now

and across the Narbadda" and Godavarf to

the moat southern parts of India, even to the island of Ceylon.

poem

in all sub-

Vikukshi.

across the Viiulhya mountains into the Deccan,

the geography of the

city

the base of operations in the Rjimayana, yet the poet carries us

through a vast extent of country, conducting us

the Gogra.

Di-

Rama.

author.

derable variation in the genealogy, as given in RanuCyana II. ex.

Ikshwjiku

.],

of Kos'ala, which belonged

shown by the circumstance that the invention of the common sloka metre, used

t This

Aja, Das'aratha,

variously called, Kakutstha, Raghava, Das'aratha or Das'arathi.

The poem opens

Thirty-fifth in

Kasyapa, Vivaswat or Siirya, Vaivaswata, Ikshwaku

on the banks of the Sarayu % s the

to Das'aratha, Rama's father.

is

Ikshwaku's sons, Ximi.

fourth from him Bhagiratha

from him Raghu.

Ambarisha

[. .],

not always to be trusted.

The

It

is

probable, however, that

river Sarayu

is

now nlled

62

ANALYSIS OF THE RA'maYANA.

We

have next, in the 6th and 7th chapters, an eulogium on Dasaratha and

his

chosen counsellors; of whom the most eminent were Vas'ishtha,Vamadeva, Sumantra,

and seven

is

These are

others.

King Dasaratha

all

Brahmans, and

without a son

is

(viii.

direct the affairs of the

government.

1); a serious calamity in India,

where a son

needed for the due performance of the sraddha or funeral ceremony necessary for

the repose of the parent's soul after death (see note, p. 38), and where the very word
for son (putra or puttra)

The usual remedy

who

is

was a great

for this misfortune

enormous presents

receive

mean one who

declared to

delivers his father

conducted by Brahmans,

sacrifice

in return for the favour of the gods,

supposed thereby to procure f.

hell *

from

which they are

Rishyas'ringa therefore, a celebrated sage, married to

Das'aratha's daughter Santa (whose story

related in an episode, ix %),

is

called in

is

to assist at the celebration of a great as'wamedha or horse-sacrifice.

* That
sutah,
is

is,

from a particular hell called Put.

Tasm^t puttra

of course a

mere

iti

proktah.

Ram.

1.

Punna^nno narak^d yasm^t pitaram trayate

76 (Carey), quoted from

But there

fanciful etymology.

is

Manu, book IX.

This

138.

no doubt that the Hindus believe that

the happiness of the dead depends on the performance of the sraddha ceremonies by their
descendants.

Then, and not

till

man

is

therefore said to be in debt to his forefathers until he has a son.

then, he

is

Esha

absolved from his debt to them

va*

anrino yah putrlti

sruteh.

+ These

sacrifices

were purposely cumbered with a most tedious and

intricate ceremonial,

which none could perform but Brahmans educated to the task.

The R^kshasas were

sented as eagerly on the watch for any flaw, defect, or mistake.

If any occurred, the whole

ceremony was seriously obstructed, and

its efficacy

repre-

destroyed.

X The episode of Rishyasringa is very curious. " It so happened, that in the neighbouring
kingdom of the Angi, now known as the district of Bhagulpore, in Bengal, there had been a
great dearth, and the king, Lomap^da, had been assured that the only chance of obtaining rain

was to entice
ter, or

this

same

ascetic

from his retirement, and get him to marry the king's daugh-

rather the adopted child of LomapjCda, and real daughter of Dasaratha.

was the son of Vibhandaka, a sainted mortal of frightful power

This ascetic

and he had begotten

this son

apparently without a mother, and had brought him up alone in the wilderness, where he had

never seen nor even heard of the existence or fascinations of that interesting portion of the

human

race, called

ascetics,

woman.

The plan was

and coax the great saint from

episode describing

all this is

most

entire interruption of devotions,

he received
ceit of

his

new

visitants, is

to send a party of

his retreat

fantastic.

and the

The

young

females, disguised as

by those wiles which are

surprise

heart's unrest, that befell the

most graphically described

such being possible, had not a modern traveller in

all-powerful.

The

and unsettlement of the mind, the

unhappy

saint

when

and we might laugh at the conthe Levant, Mr. Curzon, assured us

;

of the existence of a similar case in one of the convents of

century.

He

there found a

monk

in middle

life

Mount Athos in the nineteenth

who had never set eyes on women, nor had

any notion of them beyond what could be formed from a black and hideous

altar-picture of

63

FIRST BOOK OR BALA-Ka'nDA.

We

This was successfully conducted.

nor any mistake committed;

all

was performed

The gods, with Indra

(sail. 10).

are told that " no oblation

at their head,

was neglected,

in exact conformity to the

Veda*"

assembled to receive their shares of

the oblations (see note, p. 52), and being satisfied, promised four sons to Das'aratha

The scene now changes

(xiv. 9).

Hindu Olympus, where

to the

gods waits on Brahma, and represents to him that the universe

His power

destroyed by the chief of the Rakshasas, Ravana.

that " where he

is,

there the sun does not give out

him do not blow ; the

of

billows,

fire

becomes motionless"

by man,

heat

its

is

in danger of being

described as so great

the winds through fear

and the ocean, crowned with

which he was invulnerable by gods and divine beings of

While the discussion of

all

The next scene takes us back

a mountain, rises in the

fire,

The

Hindu

story they

may

Ravana

kill

supernatural being,

tall as

and presents a cup of divine payasa or nectar to the

priest,

cruel traveller,

Half

(xv. 20).

is

given to Kau-

by an accurate description of the many charms of the

destroyed the poor solitary monk's peace of mind for the future.

fair sisterhood, entirely

the

to the sacrifice.

which the queens of Das'aratha are directed to drinkf

the Virgin Mary.

went

in

kinds (xiv. 22).

going on in heaven, Vishnu joins the conclave,

this matter is

and, on being requested, promises to take the form of man, that he

(xiv. 45).

rolling

This great demon could only be destroyed

(xiv. 17).

by a long course of penance he had obtained a boon from Brahma,

as

virtue of

ceases to burn

a deputation of the

is

further, for they enticed the ascetic

away from

In

put him

his woods,

on board a vessel on the broad Ganges, married him to the king's daughter, and brought

him
*

to Ayodhya", to conduct the sacrifice." See Calcutta Review,

The horse chosen

for this

no one was able during

was sometimes
power accruing

effected

purpose was

this period to seize

let loose
it,

it

and allowed

was deemed

fit

XLV.
to

roam about

for sacrifice

for a year.

If

but the seizure

by the god Indra, whose tenure of heaven was imperilled by the great

to those

who completed many aswamedhas. Another year was consumed in

The description of the ceremony, in the 13th chap. (Calc. ed.

preparations for the sacrifice.

14), is curious.

Many

parts of the sacrifice, such as the Pravargya and Upasada, cannot be

explained, as the nature of these rites

one yupas or
the horse.

sacrificial posts

Near the

is

unknown

latter the

queens of Dasaratha watched

(vapa) of the horse [patatrin here = horse.

pura"

aswanam pakshah

santlti prasidhy;!

for

a whole night.

The marrow

According to the commentator, Calcutta edition,

evamv^dah] was then taken out and dressed, and the

horse itself appears to have been cut up and offered in the

of the burning flesh,

Twenty-

to the pandits of the present day.

were erected, to which were tied various animals, and especially

became absolved from

fire,

and the king, smelling the smoke

Various other

his sins.

sacrifices

seem

to

have

accompanied the asVamedha, such as the Chatushtoma, Jyotishtoma, Atiratra, Abhijit.

The most important part of the whole proceeding was the

Dasaratha
gold,

is

feasting

and the

largesses.

fee.

King

described as giving to the priests a million cows, a hundred million pieces of

and four times as many pieces of

t Of Da^aratha's three wives, the

silver.

chief, Kaus'alya",

is

said to

haw

bet D of

hifl

own

race ami

64

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMA'yANA.

salya,

who

brings forth Rdma, possessed of half the nature of Vishnu (and so called

from the root ram, meaning to delight

'

maining

:'

see Gorresio's edition, xix. 28)

who

part, or one-fourth, to Sumitra,

half the re-

brings forth Lakshmana and Satrughna,

having each an eighth part of Vishnu's essence ; and the remaining quarter to Kaikeyi,

who

thers are

brings forth Bharata, with a fourth part of Vishnu's essence

all

Lakshmana

deeply attached to each other ; but

especially the

companion of Ramaf, and Satrughna of Bharata.

description of the birth of the princes there

is

allies

of

Rama

in his

The brois

Previously to the

a curious account of the creation of the

monkeys, bears, and other semi - divine animals

the

*.

(often called Saumitri)

who were

J,

afterwards to become

war with Ravana. "These beings were supposed to be incar-

nations of various gods, and were in fact the progeny of the gods, demigods, divine
serpents,

Thus Su-griva

and other mythical personages.

son of the Sun

Bali of Indra ; Tara of Vrihaspati

Nala of Vis'wakarma ; Nila of Fire

(the chief of

them) was the

Gandha-madana of Kuvera

and the celebrated Hanumat, of the Wind.

They

appear to have been genii rather than animals, and could assume any form they
pleased (Kama-rupinah, xvi. 18)

they could wield rocks, remove mountains, break

mount

the strongest trees, tear up the earth,

While Rama and

his brothers are

the air and seize the clouds" (xvi. 24).

mere

still

Viswamitra, son of

striplings, the sage

Gadhi, presents himself at their father's court, and requests that

Rama will come to his

hermitage to protect him and other devotees in the celebration of a

impeded by the attacks of the Rakshasas

||

Das'aratha at

(xx).

country (probably so called from Kosala, the country of DasWatha)

was the daughter of Aswapati, king of Kekaya, supposed to be

king himself

sometimes called Kekaya)

is

The

gadha or Behar.

the birth of Bharata

the twins

and

father of the last

is

is

and the

in xv. the nectar

is

Rama, he

which was
refuses to

the second, Kaikeyf,

in the

third, Sumitra^

Punjab (whence the

was probably from Ma-

been a Vaisya.

said to have

narrated after that of

sacrifice,

first flatly

Although

in xix.

supposed to have been born after

is

taken to Sumitra^ next to Kausalya\

Schlegel consi-

ders that Bharata

was eleven months junior to Rama, and the twins only three months.

his note to xix.

Probably the mother of Bharata was higher in rank than Sumitra^ which

See

would give him the precedence.

* Avasishtardham, in the text, must be taken to

mean

'a half of the half,' as Kaikeyi

certainly received a fourth part of the celestial food (xv. 22).

t
tena

He was
vina"

to

% Described
||

Rama

like another

self.

Ramasya Lakshmano vahihpraha

nidram labhate, na tarn vmi, mishtam annam upanftam

(xvi. 19) as

go-puchha, 'with

According to the Uttara-kanda

tails like oxen.'

(Calc. ed.

IV.

9.

V.

2 1),

formed a race of beings called Rakshasas to guard them

Lank

as their abode.

principal

But

it is

employment and aim

ivaparah, na cha

as"n^ti (xix. 22).

Brahma^ after creating the waters,

(raksh),

and Viswakarma assigned

a noteworthy circumstance, that in Hindu mythology the

of all the malignant operations of evil spirits

and demons was

FIRST BOOK OR BALA-KANDA.

let his

son go (fearing the risk for one so young)

length the king consents

terrible, that at

65

but the anger of Vis'wamitra

Rama and Lakshmana

(xxii. xxiii).

They passed the

Sarayu or Gogra to the junction of that river with the Ganges.

;

and Vis'wamitra, who proved a most loquacious companion, ex-

plained the cause of the noise of the meeting of the waters (xxvi. 6).
in a grove,

where formerly

S'iva

his eye (xxv).

When

they had crossed the

the slaughter of a giantess or fiend

ment

and was reduced to ashes by a

Rama

river,

named Tadaka

but

that he could be induced to kill a female (xxviii).

and Vis'wamitra

in return presented

see note, p. 27).

him with

number

previous incarnation as the

Vamana,

world from the tyranny of

numbers of devotees, who were waiting the

was

exploit;

first

weapons (xxix
sacrifice

Here Vishnu,

(xxxi. 28).

when he became

in a

incarnate

The grove was now occupied by

Bali.

arrival of

The demons were soon routed by the

sacrifice.

of mystical

long argu-

after

This was his

or dwarf, had resided,

flash

displayed his prowess by

was only

it

Proceeding onwards, they arrived at the place where the

was to be performed, called ' the grove of perfection' *

to deliver the

They lodged

There Kamadeva, trying to

performed penance.

influence S'iva with love, shot an arrow at him,

from

so

accompany Vis'wamitra, who takes them along the course of the

fore are allowed to

night on the bank

is

there-

hero,

Rama,
and

to complete their great

their leader

Maricha (who

an enemy of Rama) was hurled by a blow from one of his

to appeal* again as

mystical arrows to the distance of a hundred yojanas, into the ocean (xxxii. 17).

When

the sacred rites were accomplished, news was brought that Janaka, king of Mithila,

was about to perform

in marriage to
this

a sacrifice, and, at a great assembly, to give his

any one who could bend the bow of

S'iva (xxxiii. 4

daughter Sita f

and

see pp. 5, 6, of

volume).

Vis'wamitra proposed to take the young princes to the assembly

they encamped on the bank of the river S'ona,

now known

as the

+.

On

Sone

their

way

(xxxiii. 20).

not to guard any thing, but rather to disturb the sacrifices and holy rites of devout men, and

prevent their completion. (See note

demons;

'a word, a look of his

pression of anger on his part

, p. 9.)

Vis'wamitra himself might have conquered these

might have reduced them to ashes;' but the

would have neutralized the

slightest ex-

effect of the sacrifice.

hero of

the warrior caste, therefore, had to be present, to enable the ceremony to proceed.

* According to the Calcutta Review, in the district of Shahaba\l.

+ Called
ploughing

Sitd because not born from a

(lxvi. 14).

Dr.

Weber

woman, but from a furrow while Janaka was

thinks that the whole story of R;lma and Sita

allegory, denoting the introduction of agriculture

immigrants from the north.

to the

He

is

and

simply an

is

civilization into the south of India

also singular in believing that the

Ramayana

i<

by

posterior

Maha-bharata.

+ According to the Calcutta Review

it

was on

country on the banks of the river Kosi.

his

road home,

be resided

in

the hilly

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMAYAXA.

66
Here Viswamitra

now

Kubja,

tells his

young companions the

called Kanouj,

on the Ganges,

name

origin of the

sixty miles north of

Next day they crossed the Sone, and journeyed through the
where the episode of the origin of

10; xlvii. 13), where they were hospitably received

history of the district

detailed

is

by Viswamitra

On

whose story

is

then told.

cursed in consequence

first

by king Sumati

night at Visala (xlv.

(xlvii.

and the

Gautama

(xlviii.

at a great en-

by king Janaka, where thousands of

King Janaka there met them

collected.

(His wife Ahalya was seduced by Indra, and the latter

closure prepared for the sacrifice (yajna-vata)

Brahmans were

20)

Proceeding towards Mithila

(xlv. 14).

Thence proceeding onwards, they arrived

.)

Ganges,

the following day

(the capital of Tirhut), they passed through the hermitage of the sage
10),

(xxxiv. 37).

district of the

this river is introduced *.

crossing the Ganges (xlv.9) they entered Tirhut f, arriving the

of the city Kanya-

Cawnpore

and Satananda, son of

(1),

Gautama, the domestic chaplain of Janaka, narrated to Rama the history of Vis'wamitra

Thence with Janaka they proceeded to Mithila, the

||.

(now known

as Janakpore, in the

kingdom

and were there hospitably entertained.

Rama
Sita

is

here told

became the

ratha

prize of

to bid

(lxviii)

(lvii

him

Bharata and Satrughna.

of Nepal, just

The

story of the bending the

Rama

(lxvii.

23)

to the wedding,

bow

kingdom
district),

of S'iva

by

In consequence of this exploit

see p. 5 of this volume).

capital of his

beyond the Tirhut

and messengers being sent to king Dasa-

he came accompanied by his two other sons,

was given to Lakshmana

sister of Sita (U'rmila)

(lxxiii.

* See p. 13 of this volume.

t Or

Sanskritice Tirabhuktl, the province

bounded by the banks of three

is

Videha,

t This

its
is

episodes which occur in this part of the

poem

are most interesting, especially

Viswamitra, the birth of Kartikeya, god of war, the success of Bhagiratha in

bringing

down the Ganges from heaven

nectar.

The

last is

history of

(p. 14),

the churning of the ocean and production of the

Viswamitra includes the

very curious.

stories of

Trisanku and that of Ambarisha,

Ambarisha, king of Ayodhya, performed a

victim being stolen by Indra (see note, p. 63), he

is

told

must be recovered, or a human victim substituted

by the

offers

in its place.

go,

and

offers

a hundred thousand cattle for one of his sons.

his wife will not part with the youngest.

himself and

is

accepted.

When

Upon

sacrifice (lxii),

but the

priest that either the victim itself

Ambarisha wanders over the

earth in search of the real victim, and meets at last with a Braliman

he

district

one of the grossly indelicate stories of Hindu mythology.

this history of

The

the Gan-

capital being Mithila\

The various

||

rivers,

The most ancient name of the

dak (Gandaki), the Ganges, and the Kosi (Kau&kf).

named

Richika refuses to
this the

Richfka, to

whom

let his eldest

son

middle son, S'unahsephah,

about to be offered up as a

sacrifice

he

is

saved by

Viswamitra, who teaches him a prayer to Agni, and two hymns to Indra and Vishnu.

In Bhavabhuti's drama, the Mah^-vlra-charitra (Act

ing, self-conveyed.

I),

the

bow

is

represented as arriv-

SECOND BOOK OR AYODHYA'-KANJM.

67
Mandavi

28); and two nieces of Janaka, daughters of his brother Kus'adhwaja (viz.

and

respectively.

The

minutely described, as well as the pedigree of both families (lxx.

lxxi),

became the brides of Bharata and S'atrughna

S'ruta-kirti),

wedding

is

with special mention of the costly presents given to the Brahmans and family priests
After the ceremony king Janaka bestowed munificent dowries on his daugh-

(lxxii).

ters (lxxiv. 2

and Dasaratha and

6);

on their return to Ayodhya.

his sons then set out

Vis'wamitra too took his leave, and retired towards the northern mountains* (lxxiv.

On

way home Dasaratha and

their

at the

ing

him

that

if

S'iva's

he could shoot an arrow from this

Rama-chandra

combat.

easily

Brahman

celestial

grandfather, Aswapati or Kekaya,

(I. lxxvii.

18;

or

||,

but spared his

life in

consideration

Bharata was taken

finish his education at the court of his maternal

who

II. lxviii. 21),

SECOND BOOK
we have an account

world

consent to a personal

and by so doing excluded

On the party reaching Ayodhya,

(lxxvi.6).

by his mother's brother, Yudhajit, to

Punjab

bow he would

accomplished this feat also

Paras'u-Rama from a seat in the

of his being a

who

see note, p. 11),

t bow by Rama-chandra, and challenged the latter

with another bow (once the property of Vishnu J, lxxv. 13), tell-

breaking of

to a trial of strength

1).

met by Paras'u-Rama (regarded

mythology as a previous incarnation of Vishnu;

in the later

was angry

his sons are

lived in the city of Girivraja, said to be in the

and S'atrughna accompanied him.

AYODHYA-KANDA. At the

commencement

of this

book

of the circumstances which led the king Das'aratha, at the insti-

gation of Bharata's mother, Kaikeyi, to countermand the intended inauguration of

Rama,

as heir-apparent,

this volume).

mothers
felt

It is

and to decide on banishing him

remarkable that the virtues of

(i

and

xviiij

Rama had

and even the mother of Bharata (who was the king's favourite

no jealousy, until a humpbacked female slave named Manthara,

carnate, instigated her to plot the degradation of

see p. 6 of

disarmed his stepwife, xi. 6)

like a fiend in-

Rama, by suggesting that

his ele-

vation to the throne would involve the banishment or even death of Bharata, and her

own
*

disgrace

That

is,

(viii.

to the

f Parasu-Rama

27).

Nepal
is

When
hills,

all

Kaikeyi's evil passions were thus roused, she tore

and we hear no more of him.

elsewhere described as a disciple of S'iva. See Muir's Texts, vol.

X Both the bows, however, were made by VisVakarman (Vulcan)

||

It appears that

somehow

or other

volume.
ta|i;s;i

ahyami

Himalaya mountains

The commentator

see

Ram.

I.

I. p.

lxxv.

(lxxvi. 22)

but the narrative

to the Calcutta edition says

is

and consequently had

obscure

fora-mokshe

see p.

arthah.

to

of this

gamiahyami papasya

dagdhatv&t punyasya cha 6ara-mokshena phala-pratibandhe jivan mukto bhutvrf

ity

157.

1 1

by the discharge of the arrow he was excluded from

a scat in the celestial world, which he had earned by his penance,

retire to the

garni'

68

ANALYSIS OF THE RA'ma'yANA.

her jewels, and threw herself on the bare ground in 'the chamber of anger' (kro-

off

Ward)

dhagara), an apartment which (according to

who

for wives

are out of

There she

183.)

humour with

found by Dasaratha

is

one has insulted her

She

(x. 28).

maintained in Hindu houses

is still

XLV.

their husbands. (See Calcutta Review,

(x. 22),

who

in astonishment asks her if

by reminding him that formerly,

replies

any

in a battle

between the gods and demons, in which he had aided the gods, he was dangerously

wounded, and that she had then watched by

rata,

and the banishment of Rama

tapasa or devotee

(xi.

king and Kaikeyi *

(xii)

broken

him

his friends counsel

but the good

Rama
mana

Rama

therefore

listens to

is

Bhaas a

obliged to abide by his promise, and gives

is

The mother

(xviii).

to rebel,

and the

fiery

of

Rama

(Kaus'alya)

Lakshmana urges

no one, and thinks only of his duty to

is

heart-

resistance

his father.

banished to the woods, and his wife Sita and her brother Laksh-

on accompanying him (xxxi.

insist

of exile, escorted at

Dandaka

tremendous quarrel then ensues between the

but the king

Rama

and that he then promised

required, viz. the installation of

for fourteen years to the forest of

23 and 24).

orders for the banishment of

his bedside,

now

her two boons, the fulfilment of which she

first

by the

They

xxxii).

citizens,

set off for their fourteen years

and encamp the

Tamasa (now the Tonse, on which Azimgurh

is

first

night on the river

Rama, hopeless of

situated, xlv).

persuading the citizens to return, crosses the river in the night while they are asleep
(xlvi.

20

(in the district of Allahabad),

the extremity of his father's

return

(lii.

Gomati (Goomtee,

28), hastens to the

Sungroor

11) at

(1.

kingdom

94), with a forgiving

the author of his

(Ixxxiii. 19),

own

message to his

exile

(lii.

(hi. 23).

and thence to the Ganges

urging him to send for the

father,

32),

and to be kind

Here

satisfied
is

to the stepmother

at Sringavera,

Guha, king of the Nishadas, received them hospitably

* All the misfortunes of king Dasaratha are the result of polygamy

with one wife, the blameless

Sft,

Here was

then called Sringavera.

and here he made his charioteer Sumantra

absent Bharata and inaugurate him as king

who was

xlix. 10),

and remained ever

on the Ganges
(1.

22).

whereas

faithful to her.

In

Rama was
Rama

this

a contrast to the heroes of the Mah^-bharata.

t Before commencing
of Kaikeyi

their forest-life,

Rama and Lakshmana,

in obedience to the desire

clothed themselves in bark-garments, and tied their hair so as to form a

(xi. 23),

jat or knot, projecting like a kind of horn over their foreheads, after the fashion of

devotees

(lii.

62).

How many

centuries have passed since the

morable journey, and yet every step of

pilgrims
try

it is

Those who have followed the path of

the story

still

Homer.

lives

their countrymen.

It

is

when entwined with the legends

Rama

from the Gogra

this that gives the

XLV.)

of a coun-

to Ceylon, stand out as

Ramayana

whereas no one now, in any part of the world, puts

(See Calcutta Review,

Hindu

two brothers began their me-

known, and traversed annually by thousands of

strong indeed are the ties of religion,

marked men among

of

They

a strange interest

faith in the legends

SECOND BOOK OR AYODHYa'-KA'N'DA.

under an Ingudi tree

slept
(lii.

ferried

them

Ganges

across the

and thence they soon reached the sacred junction of the Ganges and the

69),

Jumna,

by Hindus Prayaga

called

Allahabad
treated

and next day Guha

(1),

69

(liv. 5),

them hospitably

march beyond the

(liv.

on the

their first residence

hill

Jumna

river

Chitra-kuta (Chuteerkote,
(also called Kalindi).

on a great

kund)

and, advancing into the forest

(sumahaplava,

raft

erected their hermitage and

city of

He

also

32); and, with his approval, they determined on fixing

river (lv)
f,

where now stands the celebrated

and where then stood the hermitage of the sage Bharadwaja.

*,

lv. 14)

commenced

therefore crossed that

into the district of

(lv. 32),

about two days'

liv. 28),

They

Bandah

(in

Bundel-

arrived at Chitra-kuta, where they

a forest-life, surrounded by various ancho-

whom they protected in the performance of their sacrifices X (lvi).

When Rama's charioteer arrived at Ayodhya with the empty chariot

rites,

Dasaratha was so

affected, that after relating (lxiii)

dentally killed a hermit's son,

p.

and incurred

in

how

women soon

proclaimed the event

(lxv).

The lamentations

The absent Bharata was

from the house of

his maternal grandfather in the city of Girivraja

was seven days on

his journey

home

(lxxi. 18);

king
acci-

consequence the father's curse (see

6 of this volume), his spirit sank within him, and he died (lxiv).

of the

(lvii),

youth he had

in his

sent for

(lxviii. 21).

||

He

and when on reaching home he heard

of his brother's banishment, he was horror-struck, and heaped imprecations on his

astonished mother,

who

expected only praise from her son (lxxviii and lxxiv).

humpbacked

while S'atrughna seized Manthara, the

ground, and would have killed her

* This spot

(lxxviii. 16),

slave,

but was prevented by Bharata

also called Triveni, because the sacred river Saraswati

is

Mean-

dragged her along the

(lxxviii.

said to join the

is

other two rivers underground.

t The spot where they crossed is still shown in the Pergunnah of Mow. (Calcutta Review,
In fact, temples and shrines every where mark their steps.

XLV.)

J The isolated

hill

Chitra-kuta

the holiest spot of the worshippers of

is

crowded with temples and shrines of RcCma and Lakshmana.

their

names

SM-phal.

the heights

It

is

swarm with monkeys, and some

||

and

Bandah

This, as before mentioned,

It

was the

in

Bundelkund,

of the wild-fruits are

Bharata in returning

lat.

25.12, long. 80. 47.

capital of the country of his

or Chen*ib. (See Calc. Review,

the Khatree caste, in the Punj.lb.

who went

it

is

still

called

The

river

is

mother Kaikeyi, and

is

was somewhere beyond the VipasM or Beeas, but not beyond the

connects the Kekeyi with the Kathaei,

gers

Rama

connected with

flights of stairs suitable for religious ablutions.

also called Raja-griha.

ChandrabMga

is

situated on a river called the Pisunf, described as the Manchikini (xcv), fifty

miles south-east of the town of

lined with ghats

Every cavern

is

to fetch

who
It

XLV.) The

locality is

much

was evidently beyond the

Sutlej

described as crossing the former river (see lxxi.

him arc described

disputed.

Lassen

are mentioned by Arrian, and are identified with

as passing the Vip.4sa (lzvjii

2)

9V

and the
;

Bnnifa.

and the messen-

ANALYSIS OF THE Ra'ma'yANA.

70

The two brothers then went

21).

to Kausalya, pronounced before her the

most

who had procured Rama's banishment, and

bring him back (lxxv).

rible execrations against those

her of their determination to

ter-

assured

Before the last occurrences Bharata, on the twelfth day, had performed the s'raddha
or funeral ceremonies (lxxvii.

which a son alone could lawfully discharge, and

i),

which were necessary to secure the

and happiness of a deceased parent's

rest

soul.

Soon afterwards (on the fourteenth day) the ministers assembled, and decided that
Bharata was to assume the government
brother
the for

Rama

(lxxix),

of his rightful inheritance,

his intention of setting out for

with a complete army (chatur-anga) to bring

st

mination to undergo himself the fourteen years

When

but he declined to deprive his elder

and declared

the

army was prepared they

Rama

back, and his deter-

exile in the forest (lxxix. 8, 9).

started (lxxxii. lxxxiii),

and on reaching Sringa-

who

vera on the Ganges they roused the anger of Guha, king of the Nishadas,

they were marching against

Rama

(lxxxiv

and lxxxv.

When

7).

and pointed out to him the

object of the expedition, he praised Bharata,

affected at the sight,

(lxxxviii;

see also

steps

and expressed

came to the hermitage of Bharadwaja

a splendid feast for the whole army

and food of

was allowed to touch; and

his sentiments in touching language

Prayaga (lxxxix.

They were

(xci).

at first

alarmed the

rata then broke the sad

feasted with flesh meat

Rama's

(c).

news of

vow

(cvi. cvii).

atheistic,

and

and Rama

(xcviii)

first

and presently Bharata and Sa-

inquiry was about his father

his father's death,

insisting

Here the Brahman

to take charge of the

kingdom

(cviii).

Bharata imploring

Rama

his father's

Rama, hoping

is

to shake his resolution

but

In the end Bharata yielded, but only consented

as a deposit.

cxii. 11).

on the duty of making good

Javali, in a short discourse, tried to instil infidel,

* In the northern recension Bharata

with gold (hema-bhushita,

Bha-

(ci).

and begged him to return to

(cii).

irreligious sentiments into

Rama indignantly rebuked him

Next they crossed the

where the noise of the coming

a generous contest between the brothers

to accept the throne,

and

no twice-born man

The impetuous Lakshmana broke out

exiles (xcvii. 8).

Ayodhya and assume the kingdom

Then ensued

(see note J, p. 69),

Rama calmed him

trughna stood before them

who, by the

the dancing-girls, damsels, and garlands of Indra's

Jumna, and approached Chitra-kuta

into anger (xcvii. 17), but

xc),

and compelled the gods to supply

kinds, such as in later times

all

all

at

palace,

paradise were in requisition on the occasion (xci. 45. 50).

army

Bharata

Next day they crossed the Ganges, and following Rama's

]).

power of his devotion, created a magnificent

spirituous liquors,

on the

spot,

bare ground under the Ingudi tree, where his brother and Sita had rested.

was much

fancied

he learned the real

made

He bore away on his head Rama's

to bring with

him a

shoes *

pair of shoes adorned

These he presents to Rama, begging him

to

put them

THIRD BOOK OR ARANYA-Ka'nDA.

token of this

in

(cxiii.

i),

and took up

71

abode outside Ayodhya,

his

Nandi-

at

grama, putting on a bark dress, and wearing the matted hair of a devotee, until the
Before dismissing him, the forgiving

return of the rightful king (cxv).

treated

him not

family calamities

thou

mother

to indulge angry feelings towards his

'

Rama

en-

for having caused the

Cherish thy mother Kaikeyi, show no resentment towards her

by me and

art adjured to this

Ayodhyd-kdnda ; which

is

This ends the second book or

Sita' (cxii. 27).

certainly the best

and most

from exaggerations

free

in the

whole poem.

THIRD BOOK

ARANYA-KA'NDA.After their

or

Rama came

lived near

to

him and

much

abode, which had become too

retreat lonely without

who

departure the hermits

notified their intention of leaving their present

by Rakshasas

infested

Rama, finding

(i).

his

them, and wishing to remove further from his family, deter-

mined on journeying southwards to the great

forest of

Dandaka, which

in early times

extended throughout the whole centre of India, from the Ganges to the Godavari.

The

first

day they reached the hermitage of Anasuya, the wife of the Rishi Atri, a

female devotee,

who gave

Sita

some beautifying ointment

through the jungle they entered the forest of Dandaka

lision
p. 10),

hi).

(ii.

(v),

Proceeding south

and there came

into col-

with a giant, Viradha, representing one of the powerful aborigines (see note,

who was

killed

by Lakshmana, and buried,

to ensure his happiness in a future

of an aged ascetic, S'arabhanga,

beatitude
achieved.

life (viii. 20).

at his

who was mounting

request, in a pit (avata),

to the hermitage

the pile to anticipate death and

Rama

but fate had decreed that he should see

He

own

Next they came

ere his felicity could

hailed the hero as one long expected, directed

him

be

to seek the her-

mitage of Sutikshna, then mounted the pilef, and when his body was consumed
reappeared in a glittering shape

on

which

Rama

After this,

(ix).

Rama

promised security to numerous

accordingly does, and then returns them to Bharata,

the shoes and says, "

For fourteen years

I will

who upon

feeding on roots and fruits, and dwelling outside the city, and committing the

thy shoes.

After the fourteenth year,

if

first

Rama, who puts them on and then presents

Kusa

grass,

is still

any

In the Bengal version

and gives them

to

21).

shown on the Pisuni

river, in

district.

+ The spot where this took place is still known

Bandah district. (Calcutta Review.)

of the

of

to his brother (cxxiii. 20

* According to the Calcutta Reviewer, her cell

delkund, on the edge of the Bandah

made

25).

to

(cxii. 26).

state-business or received

laying every thing before the shoes (cxv.

the sage S'arabhanga brings the shoes, which are

ascetic,

kingdom

I do not see you again, I will enter the fire"

The book ends by recording that Bharata never transacted any

presents without

that bows to

wear the matted hair and dress of an

as the hermitage of Sarbliamr.

011 tin

Bun-

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMa'yaNA.

72
ascetics

who were molested by

the Rakshasas

(x).

He

then crossed the Tamasa river

Rama-

(Tonse), and proceeded to the hermitage of Sutikshna, where was the celebrated
or hill of

giri,

Rama* (now known

Ramtek, near Nagpore).

as

In this neighbour-

hood, moving from one hermitage to another, passed ten years of Rama's banishment
In the description of the quiet

(xv. 28).

life

of the exiles,

and evening devotions were never omitted, and that

band and brother-in-law, never eating

When

II. lvi. 31.)

mana behind
tial

they had finished

(See Gorresio's edition,

f.

Rama walked first, Sita in the middle, and Lakshoccasion Rama passed near a lake called Panchapsaras,

On

ascetic

one

named Mandakarni had

who had seduced him from

Sutikshna, they moved westward

damsels,

advice of

morning

find that their

they travelled,

(xv. 1).

under which an

till

we

Sita dutifully waited on her hus-

He

near the Vindhya mountains.

built a secret

chamber

At

his devotions (xv. 17).

for five celes-

by the

length,

to visit the hermitage of the sage Agastya,

presented

Rama

bow and weapons, and

with a

advised him to live for the remainder of his exile in the neighbourhood of Janasthana
at Panchavati

on the Godaveri

(xix).

Whilst

Rama was on

way

his

to Panchavati

he met the celebrated vulture Jatayus (son of Garuda), who, out of a former regard
for his father Das'aratha,

him and

aid

amongst

others,

He

Rama.

now

protect Sita.

declared his friendship for

This

by Ravana' s

was

district

sister,

Rama, and

in fact infested

his intention to

by Rakshasas, and,

Surpa-nakha, who became smitten with love for

of course repelled her, telling her that he was already married (xxiv. 1)

but this only roused the jealousy of Surpa-nakha, who made an attack on
excited the brothers, that the fiery

nose

(xxiv. 22).

||

Lakshmana

Sita,

and so

thoughtlessly cut off her ears and

Surpa-nakha, smarting with pain, demanded vengeance from her

brothers Khara and Dushana,

to guard the district.

who had been appointed by

her elder brother Ravana

Thereupon they attacked Rama and Lakshmana, but were

both destroyed with their entire army of 14,000 Rakshasas (xxx.

21).

bent on

Still

revenge, Surpa-nakha repaired to her brother Ravana, the demon-monarch of Ceylon

(for
v

whose destruction Vishnu had taken the form of Rama).

The
lows

description of Ravana, in the 36th chapter of the Aranya-kanda,

This mighty

demon " had

is

as fol-

ten faces, twenty arms, copper-coloured eyes, a

* Celebrated, at least in Sanskrit literature, as the place of exile of the Yaksha in the

Meghaduta.

f This custom remains unaltered

to the present day.

not eat with his wife, nor look at her eating.'

X

spot

now known

as Nasik, in the

Compare Manu IV. 43

'

Let him

Bombay

presidency, between

Bombay and Agra.

(Calcutta Review.)
||

It

was from

As we have

this circumstance that

before remarked,

Panchavati

is

now

called

Ravana may be regarded

Nasik

(nsik).

as the Satan of the

Ramayana,

73

THIRD BOOK OR ARANYA-Ka'nDA.

huge

chest,

and white

teeth, like the

royalty; but his

young moon.

His form was as a thick cloud,

He had

god of Death with open mouth.

or a mountain, or the

body bore the impress of wounds

his warfare with the gods.

It

inflicted

by

all

the marks of

all

the divine arms in

was scarred by the thunderbolt of Indra, by the tusks

of (Indra's) elephant Airavata, and by the discus of Vishnu.

His strength was so

He was

great that he could agitate the seas and split the tops of mountains.

breaker of

He

and a ravisher of other men's wives.

laws,

all

once penetrated into

Bhogavati (the serpent-capital of Patala), conquered the great serpent Vasuki, and

ther Kuvera, the

He

paka.

god

of Wealth),

and prevented

beams

in its

and carried

defeated Vais'ravana

(i. e.

own

his

bro-

self-moving chariot called Push-

off his

devastated the divine groves of Chitra-i atha, and the gardens of the gods.

stopped with his arms the sun and

Tall as a mountain-peak he
course,

He

Takshaka.

carried off the beloved wife of

The

their rising.

in terror.

sun,

He underwent

for ten thoiisand years, standing in the

when

it

moon

Gokarna

severe austerities in the forest of

midst of

their

in

passed over his residence, drew

five fires

with his feet in the

air

whence he was released by Brahma, and obtained from him the power of taking what
shape he pleased *." (Compare Calcutta edition, xxxii.)

The

better to secure the

inspiring

him with

Having with
of the

difficulty

Tadaka

the sea by

whom

he determined to carry

secured the aid of another demon, Maricha,

(I. xxvii.

Rama

mighty Ravana' s cooperation, Surpa-nakha succeeded

a passion for Sita (xxxviii. 17),

who was

in

off.

the son

8) formerly killed by Rama, and had himself been hurled into

in his first battle with the

Rakshasas

(I. xxxii. 17),

Ravana transported

himself and his accomplice in the aerial car, Pushpaka, to the forest near Rama's
dwelling

as

Maricha then assumed the form of a beautiful golden

(xlviii. 6).

so captivated Sita

Duryodhana

(xlviii. 11)

of the

Rama

that

Maha-bharata

with Milton's portrait of Satan.

deer,

which

was induced to leave her with Lakshmana,

and one cannot help comparing part of

The majestic imagery

this description

of the English poet stands out in

striking contrast to the wild hyperbole of Valmfki.

* It appears from chap.

liii.

of the Aranya-kanda, that

Ravana was the son of Visravas, who

Hence Ravana was the bro-

was the son of the sage Pulastya, who was the son of Brahma.
ther of the god

Kuvera (though by a

Kumbha-karna were

different mother);

Both he and Kuvera are sometimes

brother and enemy.

also brothers of Rivana.

and

in verse

30 he

called Paulastya.

calls

himself his

Vibhishana and

According to the Puranas (Vishnn-p.,

p. 83,

note)

was the mother of Kuvera, and Kesini of the other three brothers. The storj
that Ravana so tyrannized over all the gods that he made each of them perforin some menial
work in his household; thus Agni was his cook, Varuna supplied water. Kuvera furnished
Ilavila

cash,

Vayu swept

account at

p. 41

1,

the house, &c.

vol.

(See Moore's Pantheon,

IV. of Muir's Tex

p.

333.

See also the Maha-bhirata

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMAYANA.

74

that he might catch the deer for her, or kill

Mortally wounded by his arrow, the

it.

deer uttered cries for help, feigning Rama's voice

Lakshmana

she persuaded

Meanwhile Ravana approached

of his brother.

(1.

in the guise of a religious mendicant.

All nature seemed petrified with terror as he advanced

eyes

on the stranger, she started

fell

48),

(lii.

to

make her

Then throwing

(liii).

his queen.

car,

(lii.

who took her up

and bore her through the sky to

n)

10,

and when

Sita's

Suddenly Ravana de-

51).

off his disguise (lv. 3),

Sita's indignation burst forth,

against the fierce Ravana,

(lii.

but was lulled to confidence by his

mendicant's dress, and offered him food and water

clared himself

which so alarmed Sita that

22),

against his will to leave her alone and go to the assistance

he avowed his intention

but her wrath was powerless

in his arms, placed her in his self-moving

his capital.

As

Sita

was carried along, she

invoked heaven and earth, mountains and streams, in the most beautiful language

The gods and

(lv. 43).

violence done to her

saints

(lviii.

came

14, 15),

to look on,

and were struck with horror

that this was part of the plan for his destruction.

All nature shuddered, various pro-

digies occurred, the sun's disk paled, darkness overspread the heavens
It

was the short-lived triumph of

roused himself, and exclaimed,

evil

Sin

over good.

is

Even the

consummated'*

did not escape with his prize without a battle;

ever,

Jatayus,

who had

car,

Sita to inspect

make them

all

(lviii.

17).

for the

wounded
among some monkey-chiefs,

(lvi).

43).

Brahma

Ravana, how-

semi -divine bird

awaked from

his

way and attempted to

Before they reached Lanka

collected together

on a mountain,

Arrived in the demon-city, Ravana forced

(lx. 6).

the wonders and beauties of his capital

hers, if she

16

placed himself in the

rescue her, but was defeated and mortally

her ornaments and upper garment

(lviii.

great Creator

before promised to protect Sita (xx), and was

slumber by the rushing of Ravana' s

Sita contrived to drop

at the

but they stood in awe of the ravisher, and knew

would consent to be

his queen.

(lxi),

and then promised to

Again indignantly

rejected,

he becomes enraged, and delivers her over to the guardianship of a troop of frightful
Rakshasis or female

furies,

in their propensities

(lxii.

spair,

had not Brahma

who

29

Terrible

and cannibal

Tormented by them, she must have died of de-

in compassion sent Indra to her with the

a vessel containing celestial food

that Sita

are described as horrible in appearance

38).

(lxiii. 7,

god of Sleep f, and

8) to support her strength.

was the wrath of the usually gentle Rama when on his return he found

had been

carried off (lxix).

At

first

he blamed Lakshmana for leaving her

alone (lxvi), but was satisfied with his explanation; and the brothers then set off in pur*

man

As

if

he had

said,

'

It

was necessary that the offence should come, that the

should be wrought.' (See Calcutta Review,

+ Similarly
Penelope.

in the

salvation of

XLV.)

Odyssey (IV. 795) Minerva sends a dream to console and animate

THIRD BOOK OR ARANYA-KA'NDA.

75

They learned from the dying Jatayus, whom they soon encountered (and whom

suit.

Rama

at first suspected of

having killed

u), the name of the ravisher of

Sita, lxxii.

They then commenced a long

Sita (lxxii. 18), hut not his abode.

search,

and pro-

with a headless fiend (Kabandha) named Danu, the son of

the goddess Sri (lxxv. 24) ; described as " covered with hair, vast as a mountain,
ceeding southwards

fell in

without head or neck, having a mouth armed with immense teeth in the middle of
his belly,

arms a league long, and one enormous glaring eye

This

terrific

them

in his

his arms,

in his

breast" (lxxiv.

16).

creature placed himself across the path of the two brothers, and seizing

arms would have devoured them, had they not succeeded

and thereby wounding him mortally.

that they were his appointed deliverers, and narrated his history.

Brahma by penance, and had

him the

received from

in cutting off

Before his death he told the brothers

gift of

'

long

He had

propitiated

Then,

life.'

filled

with pride, he challenged Indra, whose thunderbolt striking his head and thighs

caused them to enter his body (lxxv. 27).

die in

with

Rama and Lakshmana.

and reappearing

by the
the

hill

in a heavenly shape,

Pampa,

river

life,

he could not

Rishyamuka, and to

he recommended

assist

him

lingered an old female ascetic,

in his

to proceed southwards

war against

his brother Bali,

on

who had

Ruma (IV. viii. 21), and driven him to

Rama accordingly journeyed on towards
the Pampa a deserted hermitage, in which

named

by immolating herself f

Like Hanumat,

Rama

off his wife

Rishyamuka, passing on the banks of

to secure heaven

in a battle

to the dwelling of Sugriva, king of the apes * (see p. 64),

usurped his kingdom, carried

long

gift of

After his death his body was burnt by the brothers,

take refuge in the mountains (lxxvi).

still

Having the

any ordinary way ; but Indra promised that he should be released

his celebrated follower,

S'arvari,

who

only waited for his arrival

(lxxvii. 32).

he

is

described as Kama-riipf,

i.

e.

endowed with

the faculty of putting off his monkey-form and assuming any shape he pleased (lxxv. 66).

t We may note here, that there are several instances of self-immolation by

Rdmayana, although we do not read of the 'post-cremation' of widows. Here

Rama was

example that

mitted themselves to the flames.

here, on the

The Kabandha only waited

it

preserved unfaded, and one old

always suffering and giving up

self

and honoured. (See Calcutta Review,

to be delivered

woman

detained in

life

its

another

XLV.)

ascended to heaven.

Some

L 2

by

Rama

com;

and

occupants, but
Sin*

fate

was

to be

for,

welcomed,

of the legends concerning Krishna are

but with greater plausibility might the history of

embellished from this source.

human

rejoicing,

to greet him.

and earthly possessions, and yet looked

fire

have been composed by distorting certain particulars

the Gospels

and then,

Rama's

ministered to him, and then entering the

said to

his day,

margin of a lake, was a hermitage, long since deserted by

every thing in

is

'the expected one,' on whose coming the happiness of the

Old ascetics lived just long enough to see

race depended.

in the

fire

in the life of Christ detailed in

Rama

be thought to have been

ANALYSIS OF THE RAM AY AN A.

76

FOURTH BOOK

KISHKINDHYA-KANDA.When the monkey-king

or

them

griva saw the two brothers approaching Rishyanraka, he took

by

his brother Bali,

and

from the summit of the

in great alarm leaped

mountain Malaya, where he was joined by

to the

Hanumat, son of the Wind, one

his

Su-

for spies sent

and

hill

whole army of monkeys

fled
16).

(i.

go back, and, assuming

of his followers, undertook to

the form of a religious mendicant, gain the confidence of the two strangers.

This he

The brothers mounted on

his back,

did,

and proposed to take them before Sugriva.

and he carried them

off Sita

through the

dropped by her

wind to Malaya

like the

who informed them

Sugriva,

air,

where they were introduced to

29),

(iii.

had witnessed the

Rakshasa carrying

flight of a

and picked up her upper vestment and jewels when they were

He

(v. 10).

the place of his abode

that he

could not, however,

At the

(vi. 2).

tell

the

name

of the Rakshasa, nor

sight of the memorials of his wife,

Rama was

agitated with deep emotion, and promised, in return for this service, to conquer Bali

When

and re-establish Sugriva on the throne.

to cope with the terrible Bali,

more than a match

two proofs of

for the

who had

Sugriva doubted of Rama's ability

killed the great giant

Ocean and the mighty Himalaya,

his strength.

First

Dundubhi

ix. 40. 52),

(himself

Rama

gave

he kicked the huge skeleton of Dundubhi (which

Sugriva had preserved), with one stroke of his foot, to the distance of a hundred
yojanas

(ix.

and then shot an arrow with such force that

92),

of

own

its

it

pierced seven palm-

mountain, and penetrated to the infernal regions, thence returning

trees, divided a

accord, in the form of a shining swan, to his quiver

(xi. 5, 6).

The

Sugriva, convinced of Rama's power, provoked Bali to join battle.

killed

by one of Rama's arrows, and

brother's forgiveness,
(xxi).
(xxii).

and commending

The lamentations
Sugriva

is

now

his son

enter any

him there

town

of Tara over her husband's

(xxv.

7).

*),

Rama, however,
and

for fourteen years (xxv. 9),

tain Prasravana (xxvi. 1),

his wife

body

latter

and asked

a promise from Sugriva that in the

rainy season ended, Sugriva

Somewhere

*t

This

is

a great deal

are beautifully described

and

invites

replies that

retires

autumn he

Rama and Lakshmana

he has promised not to

with his brother to the moun-

will assist

him with

his armies in

Sita.

summons

is

in that strip of British territory

territory.

his armies

and, in ordering them to

probably fanciful.

accurately known.

He

which separates the kingdom of Mysore

(Calcutta Review.)

an interesting part of the poem.

is

his

Tara to his care

search every corner of the earth, describes minutely the geography of India t-

from the Nizam's

was

where he continues during the rainy season, having received

conquering the Rakshasas and recovering

The

Angada and

his fault

reinstated in the throne at Kishkindhya, his capital city (sup-

posed to have been situated north of Mysore

to live with

acknowledged

in dying

Much

of the geography

may be

Countries and people are mentioned about

verified,

whom

but

nothing

FOURTH BOOK OR KISHKINDHYa'-KA'NDA.

The

marshals his troops in four great divisions.

The second,

(xl. 14).

first

FIFTH BOOK &C\

77

he sends north, under Vinata

south, under various generals, especially

Hanumat, Jambavat

(son of Brahma, chief of the bears), Nila, Nala, Tara, and Angada, son of Bali, heir

monkey-throne

to the

(xli. 2

5;

liii.

The

6).

third, west,

But

fourth, north, under S'atabali (xlv. 5).

The

most

his

under Sushena

Hanumat and the party proceeding southwards (xli. 6) and such confidence
Rama in the courage and skill of Hanumat, that he gives him his ring to show

given to

has

to Sita, in case of his being successful in discovering her

army return

After a time three divisions of the

Hanumat and Angada

made

including flowers, fruits, and trees, was

enchanted grotto
their faces

alive,

(li.

which every single thing,

17), in

In order to escape from this

of gold.

they had to follow the directions of the anchorite, and cover

(hasta-ruddha-mukhah,

On

1).

liii.

beholding the ocean before them they

fall

emerging from the cavern and

into despondency, fearing the anger of

Angada, who as heir to the throne

Sugriva, should they return without finding Sita.

is

the nominal leader of the party, breaks out into abuse of Sugriva

counsels re-entering the cavern and starving themselves to death.

all his

pily,

That under

alone accomplish any thing, and meet with various adven-

by an anchorite named Swayam-prabha

bited

(xlii. 15).

re infectd (xlvii).

Exploring the Vindhya mountains, they light on a huge magic cave, inha-

tures.

up

(xliii. 2).

particular directions are

eloquence to the evil counsels of

however, in the midst of their

Angada

difficulties

(liv),

but without

and

(lv. 10),

Hanumat opposes
Hap-

effect (lv).

they encounter the king of the vul-

He

tures, Sampati, the elder brother of Jatayus (lvi), with his son Supars'wa (lxii).
tells

them

his

own wonderful

history

(lviii

lxii),

and informs them that Sita

Lanka, in the palace of Ravana, and that his own sight

to see her there at the distance of a
this intelligence,

Angada

separates India from Ceylon

FIFTH
site to

BOOK

or

hundred yojanas

army southwards

leads his
(lxiii.

is

* This

is

SUNDARA-KANDA*. On

is

to distinguish this

tion in

which

must be

my

it is

to the

Hanumat

is

(i).

held by so

excellence,'

many

How

which

were they to cross

Various monkeys

found capable of clearing the

in the

Hindu mind a great recommendation.

book as 'par

sea,

arriving at the sea-shore oppo-

one of the longest and most tediously 'spun out'

however,

margin of the

27).

Ceylon, the army of monkeys holds a consultation.

to leap across, but only

at

able

is

Overjoyed at

off (lviii. 33).

to the

the straits, represented as a hundred yojanas in width?

lixity,

so piercing that he

is

entire distance.

whole poem.

Otherwise there

'the beautiful" book of the poem.

millions of our Indian fellow-subjects

apology for following out the chain of absurdities to the end.

offer

t<>

Its prois

nothing

The venerathis very

day

ANALYSIS OF THE RA'ma'yANA.

78
He

undertakes the feat without hesitation, and promises to search for Sita

vana* s capital

In flying through the

(hi).

air

Ra-

in

he meets with two or three adventures,

the description of which, for wild exaggeration and absurd fiction, can hardly be

matched

any

in

His progress

child's fairy-tale extant.

in order to take in the

is first

who attempts

of the Nagas, a Rakshasi called Surasa,

opposed by the mother

him

to swallow

bodily, and,

enormously increasing bulk of the monkey-general, distends

her mouth to a hundred leagues

Upon

*.

this

Hanumat suddenly

contracts himself

to the size of a

thumb, and without more ado darts through her huge carcase

and comes out

at her right ear (lvi. 27).

nabha) next raises

(vii).

itself in

The mountain Mainaka

by a

suitable

meal

named

entrails,

form to the

size of

coast (ix), and at night reduces his before

the treasures and rarities of the world.

Some

their inmates.

(xi. 15).

of the Rakshasas

that he

ix. 47),

may

creep

by Vis'wakarman f, and containing within

He

contemplates the magnificence

of the capital of the Rakshasas, and visits various palaces

tiful to

who

out again with the rapidity of

slips

a cat (Vrishadans'a-pramana,

into the marvellous city of Lanka, built

itself all

and

10, 11).

(viii.

At length Hanumat reaches the opposite

colossal

Sinhika, hoping to appease her

proceeds deliberately to swallow Hanumat,

(viii. 2),

plunges into her body, tears out her

thought

(vi. 25),

Hiranya-

the middle of the sea, to form a resting-place for his feet

Lastly, another monstrous Rakshasi,

appetite

(called also

fill

him with

(xii.

16),

examining

disgust, but others were beau-

look upon ; some were noble in their aspect and behaviour, others the reverse

"Some had

long,

others excessively thin;

some had only one

pendent breasts

many forms
also xvii. 24,

arms and

frightful shapes;

some were prodigiously

some dwarfish, others enormously

eye, others only

tall

one ear ; some enormous paunches, and

others long projecting teeth, and crooked thighs

at will; others

&c; where

fat,

and humpbacked;
flaccid,

some could assume

were beautiful and of great splendour"

See

(x. 18, 19.

they are further described as biped, triped, quadruped, with

heads of serpents, donkeys, horses, elephants, and every other imaginable deformity).
After inspecting the palaces of
arrives at that of

the midst of
in width),

it

Ravana.

The

Kumbha-karna and Vibhishana

(xii.

8),

Hanumat

residence of the demon-king was itself a city, and in

the self-moving car Pushpaka (half a yojana in length, and the same

which contained within

itself

the actual palace of Ravana, and

A kind of 'swelling- match' takes place between Hanumat and Surasa\

mences by opening her mouth to the moderate dimensions of ten leagues

which Hanumat distends himself to the extent of twenty.
of her jaws to thirty leagues, but

increases his bulk to forty leagues,

t The Hindu Vulcan.

still

and

The

all

latter

(yojanas).

com-

Upon

Surasa" then enlarges the aperture

finds it impossible to swallow the monkey-chief,

so on.

the

who

FIFTH BOOK OR SUNDARA-Ka'nDA.

women's apartments

(xiii. 2. 6,

&c;

xv), described with the

79

most extravagant hyper-

There he beholds Havana himself asleep on a crystal throne

bole.

At

can he detect the hiding-place of Sita.

last

guarded by female Rakshasas of hideous and disgusting shapes

sat like a penitent

on the ground

in

profound

but nowhere

(xiv);

he discovers her in a grove of As'okas,

hood, without ornaments, her hair collected in a single braid*

There she

(xvii).

reverie, dressed in the

garb of widow-

Hidden

(xviii. 10, 11).

he becomes a spectator of an interview between the demon-king and

in the trees,

Sita.
Ravana presses her to yield to his wishes t (xxii). She sternly rebukes him,
and exhorts him to save himself from Rama's vengeance (xxiii). He is lashed to

fury by her contempt, gives her two

refuses him,

"he

will

months

to consider,

and swears that

have her cut into pieces for his breakfast" J (xxiv.

while he delivers her over to the female furies, her guardians,

coax,

who
is

and then menace

to

me

is

" Her only reply

her.

a divinity' " (xxv. 12

is,

'

who

The rage

tion to

them

him

and rapturous

(xxvi. xxviii).

praises of her husband,

One good

to desist, relates a dream,

Rakshasi||, however

snare

but

mates her,

tree, discovers

At

first

husband,

demons

but she

only-

and expressions of devo-

(named

and Hanumat, seated

himself (xxx. 13).

Hanumat shows her Rama's

satisfies all

Trijata), advises

and prophesies the destruction of Ravana

After this the Rakshasis go to sleep

neighbouring

my

of the female

then frightful ; some threaten to devour her, some to strangle her

bursts forth into long

Mean-

attempt to

first

cannot renounce

see last note, p. 56).

she then

if

8).

(xxvii).

in the branches of a

some new

Sita suspects

ring, gains her confidence, consoles

and

ani-

her inquiries, and obtains a token from her to take back to

her husband, viz. a single jewel which she had preserved in her braided hair (xxxvi.

He offers to carry her on his back, and transport her at once into the preRama (xxxv. 23) but she modestly replies that she cannot voluntarily submit
touch the person of any one but her husband (xxxv. 45). Hanumat then takes

72, 73).

sence of
to

his leave

but, before rejoining his companions, gives the Rakshasas a proof of

they were to expect from the prowess of a hero

command.

He

devastates the As'oka grove, tears

who had such

up the

what

a messenger at his

trees, destroys the

houses,

grinds the hills to powder (xxxvii. 41), and then challenges the Rakshasas to fight.

Ravana dispatches an army of 80,000 Rakshasas against him, which Hanumat de* " She appeared like Rohinf oppressed by the planet Mars, or like
prosperity ruined, or hope departed, or knowledge obstructed"

+
his

When

one remembers that Ravana had ten heads, one

mouths he made love

%

is

(xviii. 6,

clouded, or

tempted to ask with which of

Dwabhyam urdhwam

tu

masabhyam bhartaiam

mam

anichchhatfin,

rasaya stidas chhetsyanti khandasah.

||

memory
&c).

In the Maha-bharata (Vana-parva, 16146) she

is

called

Dharma -jn.-i.

Mama

twain pnita-

80

ANALYSIS OF THE Ra'ma'yANA.

He

feats (xxxviii).
after

him the sons

whom

then sends against him the mighty Rakshasa Jambu-mali, and

of his

own

against the heroic monkey,

the others
battle

Lastly,

(xlii).

and Hanumat

ministers,

by Hanumat (xxxix.

are killed

and

wounds him, but meets

Ravana

(xlv),

in the

end with the same

Ravana despatches the bravest of

all

of

fate as

his sons, Indrajit, to the

hands of the Rakshasas, struck to the

at length falls into the

ground by the enchanted arrow of Brahma

before

five other generals in succession

Next Aksha, the heir-apparent, marches

xl. xli).

(xliv; see

He

note *, p. 27).

is

then taken

and announcing himself as the ambassador of Sugriva, warns

the ravisher of Sita that nothing can save

him from the vengeance

of

Rama

(xlvii).

Ravana, infuriated, orders him to be put to death ; but Vibhishana reminds his broof ambassadors

ther that the

life

Hanumat by

setting fire to his

This

(xlix. 3).

(xlix. 21

is

done

(xlix. 5)

Hanumat

24).

denly he contracts himself,

is

sacred

is

tail,
;

Upon

(xlviii).

monkeys hold

as

this, it is

decided to punish

that appendage in great esteem

but Sita adjures the

fire

to be

good to her protector

then marched in procession through the city; sud-

slips

out of the hands of his guards, mounts on the roofs

of the palaces, and with his burning

tail sets

the whole city on

He

fire (1).

then

himself that Sita has not perished in the conflagration, reassures her, bids

satisfies

her adieu, and, springing from the mountain Arishta (which, staggering under the
shock, and crushed by his weight, sinks into the earth), .darts through the sky, rejoins
his

companions on the opposite

ventures

and on

(liv. lv. lvi).

their

way

coast,

The monkeys,

and recounts to them the narrative of

rejoined

by Hanumat,

from Angada to

receive permission

set

his ad-

out for Kishkindhya,

signalize the success of their

expedition by running riot in ' the grove of honey' (Madhu-vana), guarded by the

monkey Dadhi-mukha

cate themselves (lx).

After this escapade they return to Sugriva, and then for the

first

time

Rama

where, feasting to their hearts' content, they speedily intoxi-

learns the hiding-place of Sita (lxvi).

Hanumat

describes his inter-

view with her, and, to attest the truth of his story, gives Sita's token to Rama,
praises

him

(lxx), inquires

about the fortifications of Lanka

(lxxii),

who

and soon marches

southward, attended by Sugriva and his army of monkeys, to deliver Sita; Nila being
sent on with a detachment in advance

(lxxiii).

Crossing the Vindhya and Malaya mountains, they soon arrive at Mahendra, on
the borders of the sea, where their progress

Meanwhile Ravana consults with

is

his ministers

for the present stayed (lxxiv. lxxv).

;

and Nikasha, his mother, advises

Vibhishana to recommend the restoration of Sita

(lxxvi).

Virupaksha, and others, counsel war, and promise to

exterminate the apes (lxxix. lxxx).

with his brother Vibhishana,

who

kill

But Prahasta,

Indrajit,

Rama and Lakshmana, and

After a long altercation, Ravana

is

so enraged

again and again urges conciliation, that he rises in

a fury and kicks him from his seat (lxxxvii.

2).

Smarting under

this outrage, Vibhi-

FIFTH BOOK OR SUNDARA-KANDA.

shana

left

Lanka, and flew through the

Kuvera (god of Riches), where the god

air to

81

Kailasa*, to the court of his relative

time happened to be present.

S'iva also at that

Rama and desert Ravana which Vibhishana accordingly does (lxxxix. 40

He is at first taken for a spy, and Sugriva recommends
58).
Rama to put him to death (lxxxix. 70); but Rama accepts him as an ally, and embraces himf (xcii. 1).
They then consult together how to transport the army across the sea. For three
days and nights Rama underwent rigorous penance on the shore, hoping to propitiate
The

him

latter directs

to join

the god of the Ocean, and induce

him

to appear (xciii. 1); but the

Ocean remained

unimpressible, until Rama,*enraged, shot one of his fiery arrows into the water, filling

the sea-monsters with terror,

wounding the Danavas

and

in the depths of Patala,

causing such a commotion in the deep, that the god was forced to present himself,

attended by his marine ministers (xciv.

1),

and promised

by means of which the army might be transported

to support a pier or bridge J,

across.

Nala, son of Vis'wakarman, was charged with the construction of the pier (xciv. 15).

Thousands of monkey bridge-builders,

up rocks and

flying

through the sky in every

and threw them into the water.

trees

direction, tore

In bringing huge crags from the

Himalayas, some were accidentally dropped, and remain to this day monuments of
the exploit
11

15),

||.

At length a

pier

was formed twenty yojanas long and ten wide

by which the whole army crossed, Vibhishana taking the

Rishis, Pitris,

&c, looked

on,

and uttered the celebrated prophecy

sea shall remain, so long shall this pier (setu) endure,

(xcv.

The gods,

lead.

'As long

as the

and the fame of Rama be

proclaimed' (xcv. 35).

* In Hindi! mythology Kailasa

It appears that

is

god granted them both boons

Kuvera and

represented as the abode of both

when along with Ravana he

S'iva.

propitiated BrahmjC by his penances, the

and the boon chosen by Vibhishana was, that he should never,

even in the greatest calamity, set his mind on wickedness. (See MaM-bha>. III. 15918.)
+ The Ocean at
(described as a setu)

known
||

in India as

Every where

bridge-builders.

first

objected to a regular

was afterwards constructed

Rama-setu.

In maps

it is

or

set 10
:

embankment

called

'Adam's

this,

the

hill

though a pier
is

certainly

bridge.'
to

Rama's

Govardhana, near Muttra, and the whole

Kymar

in India are scattered isolated blocks, attributed

More than

(xciv. 8),

the line of rocks in the channel

by the natives

range in central India are firmly believed to have arisen from the same cause.

"In

Rama

also

made the same prophecy,

the midst of the

arm

of the sea

is

calling

it

the island

the bridge of Nala. (Yuddha-k.

Ramesurum, or the

great repute and renown as the pillars of the western Hercules.

There

pillar of

to this

cviii. 16.)

Rama,

temple of massive Cyclopean workmanship, said to have been built by the hero, the

which

is

washed daily with water from the Ganges.

From

the highest point

is

of as

day stands

idol of

oomilUMfld-

ing view of the ocean, and the interminable black line of rocks stretching across the golf of

ANALYSIS OF THE RAMAYANA.

82
SIXTH BOOK

or

YUDDHA-KANDA.As

into the island of Lanka,

as

monkeys

have them

them

all

into the
killed,

enemy's camp

but

army

his

(i.

the top of his palace,

the plains below *

Rama
all

spares their lives,

He

who preceded them

They

he sees preparing to fight against him in

false

his

army

to

make

at her feet,

Sita

(vii).

like those

a last effort to induce

and causes to be made by magic a

bow, which he casts

and destroyed

sends Sardula and other spies

and forced to return

Ravana now determines

Sita to yield to his proposals,

and a

(v. 13),

are discovered, beaten,

(v. 25).

showing

after

and enumerate to Ravana, from

angry with them for praising the courage of the

is

enemy, and, dismissing them with reproaches

disguised as before.

and Sarana) disguised

and sends them back

to Lanka,

whom

the heroes
iv).

spies (Siika

Vibhishana discovers them, and wishes to

6).

(i.

They return

31).

(ii. iii.

soon as Rama's army has crossed

Ravana dispatches two

false

Rama

head of

pretending that he has killed her husband

is at first

overwhelmed with

but Ravana

grief;

being suddenly called away by one of his ministers, the head vanishes, and a Rakshasi

named Sarama

now heard

in

consoles Sita

who summons

alarms Ravana,
grandfather,

(ix).

terrible

sound of drums and conch-shells

Rama's camp, the army preparing

named Malyavat,

his counsellors

advises

him

to

and an old minister,

make peace

makes ready

and the plan of

their defence

commands Lanka.
distributes his
in person

for the attack.

(xiii),

He

army accordingly, reserving

to restore Sita (xvi. 83)

who hold him, kicks down the top of the

army now approaches the city, which was

Manaar.

Thither, from all parts of India,

shrines.

Angada
palace,

situated

but

many

first

Ravana

he sends Angada to
his fury

breaks away from the Rakshasas

and

back

flies

on the

hill

Rama's

(xvi. 90),

Trikuta (xv. 22), and

pilgrims,

who

are smitten with the

Chuteerkote, near the Jumna\

We

never return

it is

roughly

have conversed with some who have

they either die by the way, or their

courage and strength evaporates in some roadside hermitage.

is

which

(xvii. xviii).

wander the

From

calculated to be no less than one hundred stages.

accomplished the great feat

But

which he refuses to do, and in

and engagements take place

wondrous love of travel to sacred

there

chiefs the hill Suvela,

to himself the task of attacking

city (xiii. 29).

gives orders to seize and punish the envoy.

several skirmishes

Rama
enemy

After ascertaining the position of the Rakshasas (xiv. xv), he

by the northern gate of the

summon Ravana

indig-

is

city (xii).

learns from spies the position of the

and ascends with his

is

noise

his maternal

Ravana

(xi. 34).

nant with Malyavat, and proceeds to organize the defence of the

also

The

for the attack (x. 35).

Whatever may be

its origin,

the reefy barrier, compelling every vessel, from or to the mouths of the Ganges, to

circumnavigate the island of Ceylon." (See Calcutta Review,

XLV.)

* This will remind the classical scholar of a similar enumeration of the Grecian warriors

by Helen

in

Homer

III. 165, &c.

SIXTH BOOK OR YUDDHA-KANDA.

In one of these, Indrajit, Ravana's most powerful son,

means of
serpents

and pierces with

his skill in magic,

*,

a great

number

his

83

makes himself

invisible

by

enchanted weapons, in the form of

among them Rama and Lakshmana, who

The whole army is in

of warriors, and

covered with wounds, and appear to be dead (xix. xx).

fall,

and Sita

despair at the sight of the fallen brothers;

into the car

to witness the heart-rending spectacle of her

wounded by the magic

Wind, who whispers

invokes Garuda,
heals their

The

forced by her cruel guardians

wounds

he

in his ear that

who

are not dead.

Rama

arrows.

is

They

are only spell-bound,

roused from his stupor by the

Vishnu incarnate t

is

and made

field of battle,

husband and brother-in-law apparently

Rama

(xxvi. 9).

then

two brothers from the serpent-like arrows, and

delivers the

(xxvi. 17).

battle recommences, and Ravana, who has made several abortive attacks by

means of
xxviii

But they

Calc. ed. xlvii).

lifeless (xxii;

as well as

is

Pushpaka, that she may be transported to the

Dhumraksha, Akampana, and Prahasta

his generals

xxxii), resolves to take the field in person,

his favourite wife

Lakshmana

Nila (56), and

rescues his brother (xxxvi. 115),

whom

are killed,

forth

but being in his turn wounded by Rama,

who

wounds
(86)

of

He sallies
Hanumat

Mandodari, who advises him to restore Sita

accordingly, and attacks and

(all

notwithstanding the entreaties of

(xxxiii).

successively Sugriva (xxxvi. 15),

Ravana

(45),

forced to re-enter Lanka, humiliated and

is

dispirited.

Ravana then decides on

Kumbha-karna
for six

but

how

months together

may gorge
*

availing himself of the services of his gigantic brother

to

awake him

(xxxvii. 19),

the difficulty, as he

is

and then only awakes

himself with enormous quantities of food^.

According to the Hanuman-njltaka

(p.

91 Calc. ed.) these

is

buried in deep sleep

for a short time, that he

The messengers

try to enter

weapons were a kind of rope,

which when thrown at an enemy became transformed into a serpent and retained him

wielder of these weapons, by his

is

first

name

changed by Brahm^
t This

recovers consciousness while the

Ramayana

curse laid upon

it

him by Brahuui

makes

a boon, he asked for long slumber (mahatf

nidril).

rttara-kanda, ch.

is

of

him

x. Calc. ed.)

in the

Ramayana

is

is

his long

His figure

and being allowed,

lie

had performed

like them.

(See Maha-bluir. III. 15916.

t<>

ehoose

See also

a favourite one in village repreeentationfl of

generally exhibited asleep. (Calc. Rev.

ridiculously extravagant and exaggerated.

pp. _}S;

slumber the consequence of a

but according to the Maha-bharata

Ravana and Vibhfshana

Lank, and he

Rama

wanting in the Calcutta edition, where

is

monkeys are watching him. Muir's Texts, IV.

xxxvii. 14 (Calc. ed. lxi. 28)

penance, like his brothers

the siege of

Indrajit's victory over Indra

His original name of Megha-nada was then

to Indrajit.

probably an interpolation

is

Megha-n^da.

of

described Uttara-kanda xxxiv. (Calc. ed.).

in its

This play agrees with the 108th chapter of the Yuddka-kanda in calling Indrajit, the

folds.

XLV.)

The

description

84

ANALYSIS OF THE RA'ma'yANA.

room, but are blown away from the door by the wind caused by the deep breath-

his

ing of the sleeping monster (xxxvii. 24).

entrance

At

Then they hammer

drums, &c.

but

without

all

Nothing

effect.

him

eventually succeed in rousing

his brother to desist

that he

He

to battle.

(xl. .50)

will kill

him

of his

were

but the infatuated Ravana declares that

Kumbha-karna then consents

(xli. 22).

is

Rama

if

go out

to

wounds, and even devours t thou-

ultimately conquered and killed by

(xlvii. 2),

Rama

(xlvi).

and next sends four

Rama's army;

then took the

Indrajit, the bravest of his sons,

li).

and again by means of

who

field again,

wounds on

his magical weapons, inflicted terrible

all

the

Sugriva, Angada, Nila, Jambavat, Nala, Tara, Sarabha,

viz.

Sushena, Panasa, Gandhamadana, Dwivida,

well as on

dissuade

tries to

sons to the battle, viz. Trisiras, Devantaka, Narantaka, and Atikaya,

all slain (xlviii

leaders of

Kumbha-karna

* (xxxvii. 63).

overcome with grief at his brother's death

is

own

heaps of food under his very nose

pile

but the touch of some beautiful women, who

displays extraordinary valour, routs,

sands of the monkey-army, but

Ravana

dance upon him, cause a

from any further contest with Rama, giving him to understand

Vishnu incarnate

is

be very Vishnu he

avails

by beating

sort of din in his ears,

his limbs with mallets,

thousand elephants to walk over his body,

they force an

last, after violent efforts,

and ten thousand Rakshasas make every

Rama and Lakshmana

(lii. liii.

Kes'ari,

10

Sampati, Vinata, Rishabha; as

them

13), leaving

At

for dead.

this

achievement Ravana and the Rakshasas were overjoyed, and the monkey-army in
despair

night

but Vibhishana and Hanumat

(liii.

still

survive, and, visiting the battle-field at

7), find the chief of the bears (Jambavat) covered with wounds, but

He

conscious.

on a golden

entreats

hill called

Hanumat

to fly towards the

Himalaya mountains.

Rishabha, which was the very crest of Kailasa

he would find four medicinal herbs, by virtue of which

might be restored

(liii.

39).

Accordingly

Hanumat

suspecting his object, render themselves invisible

monkey
of

tears

up the mountain-peak, and bears

Rama and Lakshmana who,

;

restored

with

all

it,

flies

(liii.

with

the dead and

the dead and

all

There,
34,

&c),

wounded

there; but the divine plants,

59).

Upon

all its

contents, into the

wounded

by the exhalations issuing from the healing plants

(liii.

this the irritated

camp

chiefs, are instantly

67).

chiefs of

Rama's army make a grand night-attack on Lanka, and

A terrific

melee ensues, in which the sons of Kumbha-karna,

(liii.

still

fire

After this the

the town

(liv).

Kumbha and Nikumbha,

In the Calcutta version of the Hanuman-nataka, they awake him by pouring hot

oil

into

his ear-holes (p. 87).

t Like

wont

to

all

the Rakshasas, he

is

seizing the

monkeys

in his arms,

through his ears and nose

In

cannibal in his propensities.

go about eating Rishis (Uttara-k.

viii.

38, Calc. ed.)

his youthful

and here he

is

days he was
described as

and swallowing them whole, though they manage

(xlvi. 33, 34).

to escape

SIXTH BOOK OR YUDDHA-KANDA.

and another demon, Makaraksha,

are slain (lv. 87;

now have

made

had not

fallen,

then again turns his

he carries in his
fied,

Indrajit

car,

and

lvi. lvii. lviii.

before

kills

Hanumat

him ; and Vibhishana, who knows

reassures

them

valour,

killed in a great

is

(lxii.

At

lxiii).

nephew's

his

As a

arts, explains the deceit

He

(lxxv).

skirmishes a

magic arrows

(lxvii

Ravana

lxx).

about to

is

is

beside

kill Sita in

(lxxii).

go out again

to

in person to the battle

with Rama, both heroes attacking each other with

little

whom

Ravana then engages with Lakshmana,

(Lxxix).

through the breast with a

fall

him

and

notwithstanding his magic and his

combat with Lakshmana

Ravana determines

last resource,

terri-

is

Lakshmana

(lxii. 10).

himself with grief and fury at the death of his brave son, and
revenge, but his ministers prevent

He

which

Sita,

The monkey-army

(lx. 27).

Indrajit,

last

image of

false

and Rama, when he hears the news, becomes unconscious

revives

Lanka would

49).

and routed the monkey-army.

a sally

magic to account by creating a

skill in

85

Rama,

enchanted dart (lxxx. 34).

fiery

he transfixes

infuriated at the

of his brother, after trying in vain to extract the dart, attacks Ravana, and a

drawn

The physician

battle ensues (Lxxxi).

Sushena

(vaidya)

examines the wound, pronounces that Lakshmana

is

then sent

is

for,

who

not dead, and that a celebrated

medicinal plant (mahaushadhi), growing on the northern mountain Gandha-madana,

will cure

him

Hanumat undertakes

(lxxxii. 37).

to fetch

it,

and accordingly

flies

there.

Passing over Ayodhya, and Nandigrama, he

strange object in the sky prepares to shoot

is

but

and, arresting the arrow, gives Bharata tidings of his brothers.

madana, he
kill

is

attacked by a terrible Rakshasa

Hanumat.

numat

demon

This

to drink

first

kills

afterwards destroys 30,000 Gandharvas,

in his

arms

(lxxxiii. 25),

lake,

where there

it

who

nowhere

and deposits

it,

attack

it,

fruits

and examine

its

hermitages (lxxxiv.

to use his

who

hands

attack

it

him on

to
his

its

4).

(lxxxii. 158. 183),

(Lxxxiii. 19).

and

then looks

well where to look for the

healing exhalations (56, 57).

The

and regale themselves with

After which

Hanumat

place, killing with his feet

way while he

He

up the whole mountain bodily

who knows
its

to

Ha-

rocks, metals, forests, lions, ele-

leave to ascend the mountain,

the mountain, and restores

Rakshasas,

its

and makes Lakshmana breathe

monkeys then obtain

him

(21), takes

with

phants, and tigers, at the feet of Sushena (40),

plant, gathers

Ravana

sent by

a monstrous crocodile.

is

both the crocodile and Kala-nemi

about for the plant, and finding

On reaching Gandha-

named Kala-nemi,

takes the form of an anchorite, and persuades

some water out of a

Hanumat, however,

who seeing a
Hanumat descends,

observed by Bharata,

(lxxxii. 94)

it

carries

and

flies

tail

its

back with

some more

the mountain, and

is

unable

(lxxxiv. 23, 24).

At length the great

battle

between

Rama and Ravana

takes place.

The gods

ANALYSIS OF THE RA'ma'yANA.

86

assemble to take the side of the formes, and

the

all

demons and

evil spirits

back

own champion (lxxxvii. 8). Ravana is mounted on a magic car, drawn by horses
having human faces (manushya-vadanair hayaih, lxxxvi. 3) and, in order that the
two champions may fight on an equality, Indra sends his own car, driven by his chatheir

rioteer Matali, for the use of

may

look on

(xci. 2)

renew their ancient

warrior,

Rama

other with arrows.

no sooner

is

one cut

Rama

Both armies cease

(lxxxvi. 8).

fighting, that they

but the gods and demons in the sky, taking the part of either

off

The heroes now overwhelm each

strife * (lxxxvii. 6, 7).

cuts off a

hundred heads from Ravana successively ; but

than another appears in

place f

its

(xcii. 24),

and the

battle,

which had already lasted seven days and seven nights without interruption, might
have been endlessly protracted, had not Matali informed
vulnerable in the head

Brahma J, given
As

the victory

is

lamentations

off

that

hackneyed prodigies precede his

consummated a

fell

over Ravana, and

Mandodari, are well described

fire

Rama

(xcvi),

||

Hanumat with

brings her into his presence in a

round

and

foot, that she

may be

(xcii. 58).

and when

The

The generous Rama causes magnificent

(xci v. xcv).

is

duly consumed

and then places Vibhishana on the throne of Lanka

then sends

him on

of his favourite wife

especially

obsequies to be performed over the body of his enemy, which

by

dead

note, p. 28)

fall (see

perfect deluge of flowers covers the conqueror.

women

of the

Ravana was not

the terrible arrow of

him by the sage Agastya, and the demon-king

to

usual, the old

Rama

Thereupon Rama shot

(xcii. 41).

(xcvii. 15).

a message to Sita, and afterwards Vibhishana

litter (sivika)

seen by

all

but

Rama

allows her to

come before

The monkeys and bears crowd

the army.

much toil, danger,

Rama is deeply moved;

her, admiring her incomparable beauty, the cause of so

suffering to themselves (xcix. 15, 16).

On

seeing her,

three feelings distract him, joy, grief, and anger (xcix. 19), and he does not ad-

* This

is

just

what takes place

in the Iliad before the great battle between Achilles

Hector, the gods taking their respective places on either side

+ This reminds one of Hercules and the Hydra.

X Here called paitdmaham astram, and described
and the sun

fire
its

weight

for its point, the air for its body,

(xcii. 45).

It

after doing its work.

kanda

xliv.

We

may

and note

(See xcii. 59,

suppose

it

it

was

and

XX).

as having the

wind

for its feathers, the

and the mountains Meru and Mandara

had the very convenient property

forms of this unerring weapon, as

(II.

*, p. 27.)

also used

for

of returning to its owner's quiver

There appear to have been various

by Indrajit against Hanumat

to have been another arrow consecrated

in Sundara-

by the same

for-

mula, addressed to Brahma\

||

self

Contrast this with Achilles' treatment of the fallen Hector.

The whole scene

is

on the rampart, and

very similar to that in Iliad III. 121, &c, where Helen shows hercalls forth

much

the same kind of admiration.

SIXTH BOOK OR YUDDHA-KANDA.

his wife.

dress

Sita,

conscious of her purity,

87

hurt by his cold reception of

is

Rama

her and bursts into tears, uttering only the words, 'ha aryaputra' (xcix. 52).

then haughtily informs her, that having satisfied his honour by the destruction of

he suspects of contamination, after so long a residence in Ravana's capital

asserts her innocence in the

mana

to prepare a pyre

invoking Agni

30)

(ci.

whom

Lakshmi

is

most

may prove

20), that she

She enters the flames,

her purity.

the gods with the old king Das'aratha appear

all

his divine nature *, telling

him that he

is

Xarayana

he places in Rama's arms unhurt t

innocence in the eyes of the world

son, gives

request of

him good

Rama,

(ciii. 1

Rama

5).

(ciii.

17).

The

12),

is

now

overjoyed,

life all

the

his wife's

old king Das'aratha then blesses

and returns to heaven

advice,

restores to

Rama and Lakshmana,

(cii.

Agni, the god of Fire, then presents himself, holding

(30).

and declares that he only consented to the ordeal that he might establish

his

Sita

(c).

and touching language, and begs Laksh-

dignified

upon which

and reveal to Rama

(cii. 2),

and that Sita

Sita,

(ci.

whom

In short, he declines to take back his wife,

the ravisher, he can do no more.

(civ)

monkeys and bears

war

killed during the

along with Vibhishana, Sugriva, and

all

while Indra, at the

the

allies,

(cv).

now mount

the self-moving car Pushpaka, which contained a whole palace or rather city within
itself,

and

travelled

set out

on their return to Ayodhya ; Rama, to beguile the way as they

through the sky, describing to Sita

lying beneath their feet %

at Prayaga,

Rama

(cviii).

expired (cix), sends forward

was

still

living at

He

the scenes of their late adventures

Hanumat

to

Bharadwaja

announce his return to Bharata, who

Nandigrama, undergoing austere penance.

his brother, and, in

trust for him, places

is

all

their reaching the hermitage of

stops the car; and the fourteen years of his banishment having

now
meet

On

Bharata hastens to

token of delivering over the power which he

on Rama's

feet the

never appears to be conscious of

it,

two shoes

(cxi.

46

holds on

still

and compare note,

until the gods enlighten him.

(See

cii.

p. 70).

This

10.)

not the case with Krishna in the Maha-bharata.

t The whole description of SlU's repudiation by Rama is certainly one of the finest scenes
Ramayana. These touches of nature surprise us constantly in the midst of a wilder-

in the

ness of exaggeration.

+ Kalidasa,

who must have

lived at least five

hundred years

after Vjllmiki, devotes nearly

the whole of the 13th chapter of the Raghu-vansa to this subject, which he

makes

a conve-

nient pretext for displaying his geographical and topographical knowledge, as in the
duta.

Bhava-bhuti does the same in the 7th act of his drama, Maha-vii-a-charitra

Murari the same

in his play

on the same subject.

matter at the end of the Yuddha-kanda

with what precedes.

and compare note

R.Cma here

*, p. 83).

is

It

may

and

be suspected that a good deal of

modern, as the descriptions do not always ig

calls Indrajit

by

his original

name

of Megha-n:i<la

Megha-

(oviii.

88

ANALYSIS OF THE RA'ma'yaNA.

Rama and the

three brothers are

now once more reunited* (cxi); and Rama, accomwho assume human forms (cxii. 28),

panied by them and by Sita and the monkeys,

makes a magnificent entry

Lakshmana
on them
petual

(cxii).

life

into

Hanumat,

and youth

own

at his

SEVENTH BOOK
already stated)

contents

is

is

then solemnly crowned, associates

is

or

request, receives as a reward the gift of per-

Every one returns happy and loaded with

(cxii. 101).

own home, and Rama commences

his

He

Ayodhya.

in the empire, and, before dismissing his allies, bestows splendid presents

a glorious reign at

UTTARA-K AND A.Although

here given f.

It

commences with a

history of

But

this

would not have

bility of finding rest in this

the idea of the

man

satisfied the

world (see

p.

born to suffering and

subjects thought of his deeds, he

Torn by contending
life

(as

we have

felt

feelings,

to the hermitage of

its

p. 413.

Rama

being

of quiet enjoyment with

Hindu conception

of the impossi-

28 of this volume), nor harmonised with

self-denial.

Inquiring one day what his

was told that they approved every thing but

and over-sensitive Rama, though convinced of

soon to become a mother,

IV.

life

The scrupulously

taking back his wife after her long residence with Ravana.

her

book

Ravana and the Rakshasas

vol.

duly crowned at Ayodhya, seemed likely to enter upon a

his wife.

this

gifts to

(cxiii).

probably a comparatively modern addition, a short account of

an epitome of which, see Dr. Muir's Sanskrit Texts,

for

Ayodhya

his wife's fidelity,

his

correct

and though she was

quite unable to allow cause of offence in such a matter.

he

at last

determined on sending her for the rest of

Valmiki (Calc.

herself before expressed a wish to

go for

ed. chap, lv)

rest

whither indeed she had

and refreshment.

Lakshmana con-

ducted her there, and then broke to her the sad news of her husband's determination
to live apart

from her.

In the hermitage of the poet were born her twin sons, Kus'a

and Lava ; who, though deserted by

their father, bore

upon

their persons the

marks

of their high birth, and being taught to recite the Ramayana, unconsciously cele-

brated his actions. (See p. 60.)

to

Ayodhya, where reciting

Once more he

him.

might

their

At length one day the twins wandered

poem

before their father, they

accidentally

were recognised by

sent for Sita to his presence, that in a public assembly she

assert her innocence before the people.

and having adjured the goddess Earth to

received her (Calc. ed. chap. ex).

She was brought by Valmiki himself,

attest her purity, the

Rama had

ground opened and

but this one devoted wife

and now

* This reunion forms the most striking scene in the dramatic representation at the annual
festival of the

Dasserah in the north-west provinces, and

is

called 'Bharat-milap.'

It forms the subject of Bhava-bhuti's celebrated drama, the Uttara-R^ma-charitra.

great deal of the former narrative appears to be repeated in parts of this book.

SEVENTH BOOK OR UTTARA-Ka'nDA.

80

But he did not

die a natural death.

that she was gone he eould not remain behind.

The
an

story of his translation to heaven

ascetic,

comes to

Rama

(3).

when asked what he has

in private,

Rama

One day Time,

and asks,

1),

as the

of

(cxvii. 1) that

all this,

and

in the

admitted and received with honour

is

desires

him

is

form of

messenger of the great

hut

(9),

must be delivered

to communicate, that his message

and that any one who witnesses the interview

Lakshmana

informs

He

"

thus told *

his palace-gate (cxvi.

Rishi (Brahma), to see

says,

is

to lose his

life (13).

Rama

Time then

to stand outside.

he has been sent by Brahma to say that when he (Rama,

tells
i.

e.

Vishnu), after destroying the worlds, was sleeping on the ocean, he had formed him
(

Brahma) from the lotus springing from

of creation (4

7); that he (Brahma)

tion of Preserver,

and that the

as the son of Aditi (10),

latter

his navel,

had

in

now on

to

him the work

assume the func-

to

consequence become Vishnu, being born

and had determined to

vana, and to live on earth ten thousand

Time, was

and committed

had then entreated Rama

deliver

mankind by destroying Ra-

and ten hundred years

the eve of expiration (13), and

Rama

that period, adds

could either, at his pleasure,

prolong his stay on earth, or ascend to heaven and rule over the gods (15).
replies (18), that

whence he had come,

return to the place

While they

of the gods.

on seeing

Rama

family (cxviii.
his

as

1).

was

Lakshmana, preferring

if

Durvasas comes, and

refused, of cursing

to save his kinsman,

Rama and

Rama

(8).

Rama with
Rama comes
Rama reflects

Lakshmana, however

(cxix. 2), exhorts

Rama

not to grieve, but to abandon

own promise. The counsellors concurring in this

Rama abandons Lakshmana, who goes to the river Sarayu, suppresses all
conveyed bodily by Indra to heaven.

is

Vishnu

the fourth part of

cessor,

and

(19).

retire to the forest

refuses the succession,

jects are filled

with

his

Lakshmana should

him, and not break his

and

all

the consequence of interrupting the interview of

with great distress on the words of Time, which require that

die (16).

insists

though knowing that

and when Durvasas has got the food he wished, and departed,

now

his function to fulfil the purposes

are speaking, the irritable Rishi

immediately, under a threat,

own death must be

it

Time, enters the palace, and reports the Rishi's message to

out

Rama

he had been born for the good of the three worlds, and would

Rama

The gods

and say they

his senses,

by the

arrival of

then resolves to instal Bharata as his suc-

and follow Lakshmana

and determines to accompany

grief,

are delighted

advice (9),

(cxx.

Bharata, however,

1).

Rama's sub-

his brother (8).

also will follow

him wherever he goes

(12).

Messengers are sent to S'atrughna, the other brother, and he also resolves to accom-

pany
all

Rama

(exxi.

14);

who

at length sets

out in procession from his capital with

the ceremonial appropriate to the 'great departure' (mahd-prasthdna, czxii.

* I

have extracted

this

from Dr. Muir's Sanskrit Texts,

vol.

V.

p.

407.

l),

90

ANALYSIS OP THE Ra'maYANA.

silent, indifferent to external objects, joyless,

on

his left,

Energy

in front, attended

Vedas

in the forms of

Rishis,

by his women, female

and S'atrughna,

by

with

all his

S'ri

on

his right, the

Brahmans, by the Gayatri, the Omkara, the Vashatkara, by

slaves,

eunuchs, and servants.

follow, together with

Bharata with his family,

Brahmans bearing the sacred

of the people of the country, and even with animals, &c. &c.
attendants, comes to the banks of the Sarayti (cxxiii).
in innumerable celestial cars,

splendour.

now

appears,

and

all

the sky

Brahma

Vishnu; Raghava, thou hast happily

own body

utters a voice

and the whole

Brahma, with
is

all

all

no one comprehends

refulgent with the divine

Rama

falls.

enters

from the sky, saying, 'Approach,

For thou

art the

thee, the inconceivable

except the large-eyed Maya, thy primeval spouse.'

these

the gods,

arrived, with thy god-like brothers.

as Vishnu, or the eternal aether.

worlds (loka-gatih)

fire,

Rama, with

Pure and fragrant breezes blow, a shower of flowers

the waters of the Sarayti ; and

thine

goddess Earth

weapons in human shapes, by the

Enter

abode of the

and imperishable,

Hearing these words,

Rama enters
He then

the glory of Vishnu {Vaishnavam tejas) with his body and his followers.

asks

Brahma

to find

to his person;

an abode for the people who had accompanied him from devotion

and Brahma appoints them a

celestial residence accordingly."

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY

OP

THE MAHA-BHAEATA.

This poem (which was

recited

by Vaisampayana, the pupil of Vyasa,

jaya, the great-grandson of Arjuna) is divided into eighteen books.

been added a supplement called Harivansa

Ramayana

lunar race of kings, as the

genealogy

essential to the

is

is

(see p. 40).

of the solar

comprehension of the

who reigned
Budha, who married Ila

to

Janame-

To which has

It is in celebration of

and some knowledge of

story.

the

their

Soma, the moon, the pro-

was the child of the

genitor of the lunar race,

at Hastinapur,

and father of

or Ida, daughter of the solar prince Ikshwaku,

The

and had by her a son, Aila or Pururavas.

latter

had a son by

Rishi, Atri,

Urvas'i

named

whom came Nahusha, the father of Yayati. The latter had two sons,
Puru and Yadu, from whom proceeded the two branches of the lunar line. In the

Ayus, from

line of

Yadu we need only mention the

Krishna with his brother Balarama.

last three princes, Sura,

Fifteenth in the other line

Dushyanta, father of the great Bharata, from

rata-varsha.

whom

Vasudeva

India to this day

is

called

Bha-

Ninth from Bharata came Kuru, and fourteenth from him Santanu.

This Santanu had by his wife Satyavati, a son named Vichitra-virya.

called Santanava, Deva-vrata,

* Prith;i or Kunti, wife of

of Vasudeva,

and

*,

that of Puru came

Bhishma

(also

&c), who renounced the right of succession and took

Pandu, and mother of three of the Pandu princes, was

and therefore aunt of Krishna.

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHA'rATA.

92

vow

the

of a Brahmachari *, was the son of Santanu by a former wife, the goddess

Ganga, whence one of his names

and Vyasa were half-brothers f

to live a

Satyavati also had, before her mar-

Gangeya.

is

Vyasa to the sage Paras' ara; so that Vichitra-virya, Bhishma,

riage with Santanu, borne

and Vyasa, although he

retired into the wilderness,

of contemplation, promised his mother that he

life

her disposal whenever she required his services.

him

her son Vichitra-virya died childless, and requested

Vichitra-virya's

would place himself

had recourse

Satyavati

who was born with

children, Dhritarashtra,

a pale complexion

When

J.

at

him when

to pay his addresses to

He

two widows, named Ambika and Ambalika.

by them respectively two

to

consented, and had

who was born

and Pandu,

blind,

Satyavati begged Vyasa to become

the father of a third son (who should be without any defect), the elder wife, terrified

by Vyasa' s austere appearance, sent him one of her

clothes

Kshattri

and

this girl

slave-girls, dressed in

was the mother of Vidura (whence he

woods

me

I. e.

loka^

boat.

difficulties,

the genealogy more clear,

The

it

may be

Adya-prabhriti

perpetual celibacy.

bhavishyanty akshaya^

Para'sara

*f*

Vyasa

after this retired again

and

but, gifted with divine prescience, appeared both to his sons

grandsons whenever they were in

To make

own

her

sometimes called

Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura were thus brothers, sons of Vyasa,

||).

the supposed author or compiler of the Maha-bharata.

to the

is

divi.

result of their intercourse

his advice

well to repeat

I.

and

assistance.

form

in a tabular

it

me brahmacharyam

(MaM-bhar.

met with Satyavati when

and needed

bhavishyati

Aputrasyapi

4060.)
1

quite a girl, as he

was a

child, VyjCsa,

was crossing the

who was

river

Jumna

called Krishna,

in a

from his

swarthy complexion, and Dwaipayana, because he was brought forth by Satyavati on an

island (dwipa) in the

Jumni

(See

X The mother of Pandu was

mother of Rama-chandra) seems

MaM-bhar.

also called

I.

2416, 2417, and 4235.)

Kaualy

and

also to be applied to the

this

name (which was

that of the

mother of Dhritarashtra.

Paleness

of complexion, in the eyes of a Hindu, would be regarded as a kind of leprosy, and

therefore almost as great a defect as blindness.
curious.

Vy^sa

Ambika was

The reason given

for these defects is

was
very

by the swarthy complexion and shaggy aspect of the sage

gandha emitted by his body), that when he visited her she closed

so terrified

(not to speak of the

her eyes, and did not venture to open them while he was with her.

assumed blindness her child was born

blind.

In consequence of

this

Ambalika, on the other hand, though she kept

her eyes open, became so colourless with fright, that her son was born with a pale com-

4290.) Pandu seems to have been in other respects good

S devi kumaram ajijanat pandu-lakshana-sampannam dipyamaham vara-sriy.

plexion. (See Mah^-bhar. I. 4275

looking
||

Vy^sa was

so

much

pleased with this slave-girl that he pronounced her free, and declared

that her child, Vidura, should be sarva-buddhimatain varah.

Kshattri, although in

the child of a S'ndra father and BraVhman mother, signifies here the child of a
father and S'udra mother.

Manu

Brahman

93

GENEALOGICAL TABLE.
Atri (the muni, generally reckoned

Soma

among

the seven Rishis or sages).

(or chandra), the moon.

Budha

(or

Mercury), married Ha" or IiU, daughter of Ikshwalcu.

Puniravas or Aila (married the nymph U'rva^i).

Ayus.

Nahusha.
Yay^ti (husband of S'armishtha" and Devay^nf).

Line of Yadu.

Line of Puru.

Puru (king

in Pratishthiina)

Dushyanta

(h.

Yadu

of S'akuntaU)

Vrishni

Bharata

Devar^ta
Hastin

(built Hastina^pur)

Andhaka

Kuru
S'tira

S'^ntanu

Vasudeva, brother of Kuntf or

Prith;C, also called

Anaka-dundubhi.

Krishna and Balarama, with whom, by the quarrels of the Y;idavas,

the line becomes extinct. They were cotemporary with the sons of
Pandu and Dhritar^shtra.
Line of Puru and Kuru continued.
S'antanu-r-Satyavatf
-j-Sa
1

Chitningada^

son of Satyavatf
married the two widows

Bhishma,
called S'antanava
and Giingeya,

of Vichitra-virya.

as son of S'jintanu

Vy^sa,

Vichitra-vfrya,
son of both,

died childless.

by
Dhritarashtra- -Gdndharf

Karna

i__r

Kuntl or Prithd-r-Pandu-i-Madri
Yudhish-

Bhfma Arjuna

Nakula

Kripa t

Gang.-l.

Vidura, called Kshattri.

Sahadeva

thira

Duryodhana
and 99
other sons.

Chitrangada reigned a very short time after the death of S'jlntanu.

He was

so arrogant

and proud of his strength that he defied gods and men; upon which the king of the Gandharbas, his

namesake, came down to fight with him and killed him.

f Kripa and
bhar.

T.

50S7

his sister Krip;i, wife of

and sec note

\.

p. 97).

Drona, were adopted children

<>f

S'.intanu

tso>

BCahA-

SUMMARY OP THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHA'rATA.

94

BOOK

FIRST
their uncle

or

A DI-PARV A. Dhritarashtra and Pandu

Bhishma*, who

Dhritarashtra was the first-born, but at

tinapurf (4349)-

were brought up by

meanwhile conducted the government of Has-

in the

in consequence of his blindness (4361).

first

renounced the throne,

Vidura being the son of a Sudra woman,

could not succeed, and Pandu therefore became king (4361).

In the meantime

Dhritarashtra married Gandhari (also called Saubaleyi or Saubali, daughter of Subala,

king of Gandhara)

who when

she heard that her future husband was blind, to show

her respect for him, bound her

blindfolded in his presence

X-

own

eyes with a handkerchief,

Soon afterwards,

at a

and always remained

swayamvara held by king Kunti-

Pandu for her husband (4418).

who gave her to his childless cousin
Kuntibhoja; under whose care she was brought up. One day, before her marriage,
she paid such respect and attention to a powerful sage named Durvasas, a guest in

bhoja, his adopted daughter, Pritha or Kunti, chose

She was the child of a Yadava

prince, Sura,

her father's house, that he gave her a charm and taught her an incantation, by virtue
of which she was to have a child by any god she liked to invoke.

whom

she invoked the Sun, by

she had a child,

who was born

Out

of curiosity,

clothed in armour

||

Pritha (or Kunti), afraid of the censure of her relatives, deserted the child, and

exposed

in the river.

it

It

was found by Adhiratha, a charioteer

Radha; whence the

by

his wife

by

his foster-parents Vasushena.

armour (which he wanted

his

(suta),

and nurtured

was afterwards called Radheya, though named

When

he was grown up, Indra tricked him out of

for his son Arjuna)

by appealing to

his generosity in

Indra in return conferred upon him enormous strength

the guise of a Brahman.

(sakti),

child

and changed his name to Karna (4383

441

1).

After Pandu' s marriage to Pritha, his uncle Bhishma, wishing

him

to take a

second wife, made an expedition to Salya, king of Madra, and prevailed upon him to

bestow his

sister

Madri upon Pandu,

in exchange for vast

sums of money and jewels

* Dhritarashtrascha Panduscha Vidurascha mahamatih Janma-prabhriti Bhishmena putravat paripalitali (4353).

rashtra

They were

described as excelling

is

all

all

three thoroughly educated by Bhishma.

others in strength (4356),

Pandu

Dhrita-

as excelling in the use

of the bow, and Yidura as pre-eminent for virtue (4358).

f Hastinapur is also called Gajasaliwaya and Nagas^hwaya.

% Sa" patam daya kritwa' bahugunam tad Babandha netre swe raj an pativrata-parayana"
She is described as so devoted to her husband that Vacua 'pi purushan anyan su(4376).
1

vrata"

nanwakfrtayat.

||

The Sun afterwards

He

Karna
tapt).

is

is

restored to her her maidenhood (kanydtwa).

also called Vaikartana, as son of

described (4405) as worshipping the Sun

Compare Hitop. book

II. v. 32.

See 4400.

Vikartana or the Sun, and sometimes Vrisha.

till

he scorched his own back (aprishtha-

95

FIRST BOOK OR ADI-PARVA.

Soon

(4438).

second marriage Pandu undertook a great campaign,

after this

in

which

he conquered the Das'arnas, Magadha, Kasi, Mithila. or Videha, and subjugated so

many

kingdom of Hastinapur became under him

countries, that the

as glorious

and

Having acquired enormous wealth,

extensive as formerly under Bharata (4461).

which he distributed to Bhishma, Yidura, and Dhritarashtra, Pandu retired to the

woods, to indulge his passion for hunting, and lived with his two wives as a forester

The blind Dhritarashtra, who had

on the southern slope of the Himalayas.

useful charioteer

named

Sanjaya, was then obliged, with the assistance of

his regent, to take the reins of

government.

After this,

as

Bhishma promoted the mar-

riage of Vidura with a beautiful slave-girl belonging to king

We have

a very

Bhishma

Devaka *.

One day

next an account of the birth of Dhritarashtra' s sons.

Vyasa was hospitably entertained by the queen Gandhari, and

the sage

in return granted her

She chose to be the mother of a hundred sons, and soon afterwards became

a boon.

After two years' gestation she produced a mass of flesh, which was

pregnant (4490).

divided by Vyasa into a hundred and one pieces (as big as the joint of a thumb), and

placed in jars (kundeshu).

Suyodhana;

called

In due time the eldest son, Duryodhana (sometimes

see p. 20 of this volume),

Pritha's son Yudhishthira.

hackneyed description occurred

and the sky seemed on

fire

was born, but not

At Duryodhana's
;

(4509).

till

birth various evil

after the birth of

omens of the usual

jackals yelled, donkeys brayed, whirlwinds blew,

Dhritarashtra, alarmed, called his ministers toge-

who recommended him to abandon the child, but could not persuade him to
do so. In another month the remaining ninety-nine sons were bornf from the

ther,

remaining

jars,

and one daughter,

called Duhs'ala (afterwards married to Jayadratha).

Dhritarashtra had also one other son,

woman

We

of the Vais'ya caste (4522),

engaged

his wife,

in

Pandu

five

transfixed with

amorous sport together.

who had taken

in the

usual

way from

One

reputed sons of Pandu.

five

arrows a male and female

These turned out to be a certain sage and

the form of these animals.

The sage cursed Pandu, and

predicted that he would die in the conjugal embraces of one of his wives (4588).

consequence of this curse, Pandu took the

vow

sual pleasures, gave all his property to the

Yidura

is

In

of a Brahmachari %, abandoned sen-

Brahmans, and became

a hermit.

He

one of the best characters in the Malnl-bharata, always ready with good advkv

(hitopadesa), both for the

him always

altogether a hundred and two children.

have next the account of the birth of the

day, on a hunting expedition,

deer,

named Yuyutsu, born

making

Pandavas and

to take the part of the

for his brother Dhritarashtra.

Pandu

princes,

and warn them of the

cousins.

t Their names are

all

detailed at 4540.

X The brahmacharya-vrata, or vow of continence.

His dupodtkui leads

evil designs

oi'

their

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHA'rATA.

96

kept apart from Pritha (also called Kunti), and from his other wife, Madri

made use

his approval, the former

by Durvasas

(see p. 94,

by the three

deities,

1.

of the

13),

first,

to her

respectively (see p. 99, last note).

and before Dhritarashtra' s

was heard, which

his birth a heavenly voice

but, with

and had three sons, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna,

Dharma, Vayu, and Indra

Yudhishthira was born

charm and incantation formerly given

said,

'

This

eldest son

Duryodhana.

At

the best of virtuous men.'

is

Bhima, the son of Pritha and Vayu, was born on the same day as Duryodhana (4776).
Soon after his birth, his mother accidentally let him fall, when a great prodigy oc-

indicative

curred

of the vast strength which was to distinguish

of the child falling on a rock shivered

cious
air

it

On

to atoms.

omens were manifested ; showers of

flowers

for the

body

fell *, celestial

minstrels filled the

with harmony, and a heavenly voice sounded his praises and future glory (4792).

Madri, the other wife of Pandu, was

now

anxious to have children, and was told

by Pritha (Kunti) to think on any god she pleased (4849).

As'wins f,

who appeared

Sahadeva

J.

of the sage

were

five princes

still

children,

Pandu, forgetting the curse

he had killed in the form of a deer, ventured one day to embrace

Madri, and died in her arms (4877).

sati (suttee),

husband's corpse (4896)

She and Kunti then had a dispute

which ended

and Pritha

;\received by Dhritarashtra with

performance of the funeral

(4918).

much

rites,

* Showers of flowers are as

with the five Pandu princes,

all

the circumstances of their birth and of

The news of the death of

apparent sorrow

and allowed the

common

cating good, the other portending

for the

Madri burning herself with her

companions of Panduto Hastinapur, where

they were presented to Dhritarashtra, and

Pandu narrated

in

(also called Kunti),

men

were taken by the Rishis, or holy

the death of

She chose the two

and were the fathers of her twin sons Nakula and

to her,

While these

whom

honour of becoming a

him

the birth of Arjuna auspi-

five

his brother

was

he gave orders for the due

young

princes

and

in Indian poetry as showers of blood

mother

their

the one indi-

evil.

+ The AsWinau are the twin sons of

Siirya, the sun,

by

his wife Sanjna, transformed to a

mare. They are endowed with perpetual youth and beauty, and are the physicians of the gods.

See the
%

last note, p.

The

which

it

five

Pandu

may be

47; and compare the explanations in Nirukta, XII.

princes are

is

also called,

Arjuna

170, Roth's edit.

Dharmaraja, Dharmaputra,

His charioteer was called Indrasena.

Bhimasena, Vrikodara, Bahus'alin.

1. p.

other names in the Mah^-bharata, some of

Yudhishthira

useful here to note.

and sometimes simply Rajan.

are,

known by various

is

Bhima's other names

also called, Kiritin,

Phalguna, Jishnu,

Dhananjaya, Bfbhatsu, Savyasachin, Pakasasani, GucMkesa, S'weta-vahana, Nara, and sometimes par excellence Partha, though
title.

Nakula and Sahadeva

(the twins).

The name Kaurava

the sons of Dhritarashtra.

Bhima and Yudhishthira,

M^dreyau (as sons of

are called
is

as sons of Pritha,

had

also this

Mddrf), and sometimes

Yamau

sometimes applied to the Pandu princes as well as to

FIRST BOOK OR ADI-PARVA.

own

to live with his

The cousins were

family.

Pandu

in their boyish sports the

which excited much

ill

in the habit of playing together;

bu<

princes excelled the sons of Dhritarashtra (4978),

and the

feeling;

97

spiteful

Duryodhana, even when a boy,

tried

Bhima by mixing poison in his food (5008), and then throwing him into
the water when stupified by its effects.
Bhima, however, was not drowned, but
descended to the abode of the nagas (or serpents), who freed him from the influence
to destroy

of the poison (5052), and gave

strength often thousand nagas

him a

*.

vised various schemes for destroying the

We

liquid to drink

Pandu

princes, but without success (5068).

He was

have next the account of the coming of Drona to Hastinapur.

Brahman, the son of Bharadwaja J, and being well

other warlike weapons, was chosen by
to train all the

An

which endued him with the

After this, Duryodhana, Karna, and S'akuni t de-

young

princes, both

skilled in the use of the

Bhishma (who acted

bow and

as Dhritarashtra's regent)

Kauravas and Pandavas,

in warlike exercises.

account of the tournament at which, their education being completed, they exhi-

bited their skill,

is

They

(5446).

The

given at p. 21.

tion was, that they should capture

fee

which Drona required for

therefore invaded Drupada's territory

but Drona spared his

life,

and gave him back half

his

was

installed

him

kingdom.

(This

Drupada was

After this, Yudhish-

||.)

by Dhritarashtra as Yuvaraja or heir-apparent (5518), and by his

exploits soon eclipsed the glory of his father

Bhima

insulted

and took him prisoner (5502)

afterwards to become the father-in-law of the five Pandavas

thira

their instruc-

Drupada king of Panchala, who had

learnt the use of the club

*Tasman nagayutabalo

Meanwhile

Pandu's reign (5519).

and the sword from

his cousin

Balarama (5520)

rane 'dhrishyo bhavishyasi (5054).

f S'akuni was the brother of Gandharf, and therefore maternal uncle (nuCtula) of the Kaurava princes. He was the counsellor of Duryodhana. He is often called Saubala, as Ganldrl is called Saubali.

X Drona married Kripa",

Kripa"

were the children

sister of

Kripa, and had by her a son, AsVatthaman.

of a great sage, S'aradvat (called

Gautama

performed very severe penance, and thereby frightened Indra,

him

(5076), but without success.

(sarastambe),

reared as his own.

He

council at Hastinapur,
||

However, twins were born

who were found by king

called

and

is

for him,

sent a

nymph

to the sage in a

them Kripa and Kripa\

The former became one

He

to tempt

clump

S'antanu, and out of pity (kripa) taken

of grass

home and

of the privj

sometimes called Gautama, sometimes S'iradvata.

Burning with resentment, Drupada endeavoured

his defeat

who

Kripa and

as son of Gotama).

and bring about the destruction of Drona.

to procure the birth of a son, to

Two Bnihmans

and two children were born from the midst of the

altar,

undertook

out of the sarrinYial

a son, Dhrishta-dyumna, and a daughter, Krishna or Draupadl, afterwards

Pandavas.

avenge

a Bacrifioe

tiie

fire,

witV of the

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BH^RATA.

98

but Arjuna, by the help of Drona, who gave him magical weapons (5525), excelled
all

in skill

and the use of arms.

excited the jealousy

and

The

citizens (5657).

ill-will

latter

The

great

renown gained by the Pandu princes

of Dhritarashtra (5542), but

met together, and

won

the affections of the

after consultation declared that as

Dhritarashtra was blind he ought not to conduct the government, and that as

had formerly declined the throne he ought not

They

therefore proposed to

of this, he consulted with

crown Yudhishthira

Kama,

Bhishma

to be allowed to act as regent (5660).

at

once

When Duryodhana heard

*.

and Duhs'asana, how he might remove

S'akuni,

At

Yudhishthira out of the way, and secure the throne for himself.

his urgent soli-

was induced to send the Pandava princes on an excursion to

citation, Dhritarashtra

the city of Varanavata, pretending that he wished them to see the beauties of that

town, and to be present at a festival there (5705).

Meanwhile Duryodhana

insti-

gated his friend Purochana to precede them, and to prepare a house for their reception,

which he was to

fill

secretly with

hemp,

resin,

composed of

plastering the walls with mortar

and other combustible substances,

oil, fat,

and

lac (Idkshd or jatu).

When

the princes were asleep in this house, and unsuspicious of danger, he was to set

Th e

foe (573)*

five

Pandavas and

regrets of the citizens,

and

their

mother

left

it

on

Hastinapur amid the tears and

in eight days arrived at Varanavata, where, after great

demonstrations of respect from the inhabitants, they were conducted by Purochana

to the house of lac.

Having been warned by Vidura, they soon discovered the dan-

gerous character of the structure (5781), and with the assistance of a miner (khanaka)
sent by Vidura,
(58 r 3)'

dug an underground passage, by which

Then having

to a feast,

invited a degraded outcaste

and having

stupified

Purochana t, and then to

five sons,

their

them with wine, they

own.

woman and

from the

first

set fire to the

in the conflagration (5864),

his

house of

Purochana was burnt, and the woman with her

monies were performed by Dhritarashtra.

Bhima, the strong one, carrying

interior

(nishddi) with her five sons

her sons being afterwards found,

Pandava princes had perished

his

to escape

but they themselves escaped by the secret passage (surungd).

bodies of the

thers

woman

it

The charred

was supposed that the

and

their funeral cere-

Meanwhile they hurried

off to

mother and the twins, and leading

the woods

his other bro-

by the hands (5839) when through fatigue they could not move on. Whilst
fig-tree, Bhima had an encounter with

mother and brothers were asleep under a

a hideous giant

Hidimba, the

named Hidimba, whom he

sister

slew (6038).

Afterwards he married

of this monster, and had a son by her

named Ghatotkacha

(6072).

* Te vayam Pandava-jyeshtham abhishinchama.

It

is

worthy of remark, that Bhima

is

the one to set

fire to

the houses.

FIRST BOOK OR ADI-PARVA.

By

99

the advice of their grandfather Vyasa, the Pandava princes next took

abode

house of a Brahman

in the

at a city called

Ekachakra.

up

their

There they lived for a

long time in the guise of mendicant Brahmans, safe from the persecution of Duryodhana.

Every day they went out to beg

mother Kunti divided

their

(6108).

While resident

in the

house of the Brahman, Bhima delivered

the city of Ekachakra from the Rakshasa

one of the

citizens,

alms (bhaiksha), which

whole to Bhima as his share *

for food given as

at night, giving half of the

and

his family

named Baka (or Vaka),who every day devoured

and terrified the whole neighbourhood

(see p.

After this Vyasa appeared to his grandsons, and informed

33 of this volume).

them that Draupadi, the

daughter of Drupada, king of Panchala, was destined to be their

common

wife f-

In a long discourse he explained that in real fact she had been in a former

the

life

daughter of a sage, and had performed a most severe penance, in order that a hus-

band might

fall

to her lot.

S'iva,

pleased with her penance, had appeared to her, and

When the maiden replied that she

wanted only one husband, the god answered, " Five times you said to me, Grant me
had promised

her, instead of one, five husbands.

husband ; therefore in another body you will obtain five husbands" (6433 an ^ 73 22 )This Rishi's daughter was thereupon born in the family of Drupada as a maiden of
a

the most distinguished beauty, and was destined to be the wife of the Pandavas

*
tion

From

his

enormous appetite Bhima was called 'wolf-stomached' (Vrikodara).

was always one half of the whole dish intended

Ndgarshaba-tulya-rapa,

+ Polyandria
and

is still

in other barren

not be supported.

'

who

is

practised

among some

It prevails also

among

communes,' &c.

se

He

perceive the divinity of the

also gifted

Draupadi to

Drupada with

Hence Drupada became aware

De

Bello Gallico, V. 14.

five

husbands (which

same god.

really born, like her brother

called a

of

what otherwise he

herself,

3).

former birth, as described above, and that

Indra (S'akrasyansa), and that

Draupadi

is

divine intuition (chakshur divyam) to

laws and institutions of the Bralimans (73

of the

of his daughter's

really a part or avataV of

also portions of the

was

fore-

were given to the same practice

Pandavas and penetrate the mystic meaning

would have regarded as a serious violation

pada,

Our

the Nair (Nayar) tribe in Malabar.

the type and representative of strict Brahruanism, was obliged to explain

siikshma-dharma, 7246).

fire

Himalaya range near Simla,

hill-tribes in the

mountainous regions, such as Bhotan, where a large population could

at length the necessity for the marriage of

Arjuna was

he was

equal in size to the chief of the Nagas' (see 716 1).

Uxores habent deni duodenique inter

% Vyftsa,

His por-

for the family meal, because

fathers, or at least the ancient Britons, according to Csesar,

4

X-

all his

brothers were

although nominally the daughter of Dru-

Dhrishta-dyumna, out

(vedf-madhyat, 6931), and was a form of Lakshml.

of the

midst of the

sacrificial

In no other way could her super-

natural birth, and the divine perfume which exhaled from her person, and was perceived a

league off (krosa-matnit prawtti, 6934. 731

be accounted

1>,

plained the mysterious birth of Krishna and Baladeva

for.

Vyasa

at

the

Bame

tinv

--how the god Vishnu pulled out

t\v>

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA-BHARATA.

100

In obedience to the directions of their grandfather, the

five

Pandavas quitted Eka-

chakra, and betook themselves to the court of king Drupada, where Draupadi was

about to hold her swayamvara.

who being

the house, and fancying that they had brought alms, called out to them,

The words

between you' (Bhunkteti sametya sane, 7132).

could not be set aside without evil consequences

Vyasa,

Arjuna

(See the description of this at p. 22.)

being chosen by Draupadi, they returned with her to their mother,

who acquainted him with

inside

Share

it

of a parent, thus spoken,

and Drupada,

'

at the persuasion of

the divine destination of his daughter *, consented

becoming the common wife of the

Pandu

She was

first

married

by the family-priest Dhaumya to Yudhishthira (7340), and then, according to

priority

to her

five

princes.

of birth, to the other four f.

The Pandavas, being now strengthened by

Panchala, threw off their disguises

by dividing

to settle all differences

He

gave up Hastinapur to the

their alliance with the powerful

and king Dhritarashtra thought

kingdom between them and

his

king of

more

it

politic

own

his

sons.

presided over by Duryodhana, and permitted

latter,

women

of his

own

of the

Y^davas (Devakl and Rohini), and became, the white one Baladeva and the black one

hairs,

one white and the other black, which entered into two

Krishna. (See 7307

(ch. 5) it is

and compare Vishnu-purana, book V.

shown how the

When

sons of other gods.

Pandavas could be

five

all

ch.

Indra killed the son of Twashtri

as the
left

Dharma, the god

(or

demon Vritra, and again

slain

by Indra

as a

Lastly,

Viswakarman

all his tejas,

The son

of Justice.

him, and entered Mdruta, 'the Wind.'

In the Markandeya-purana

1.)

portions of Indra, and yet four of

the Creator), his punishment for this brahmahatyd was that

deserted him, and entered

of the family

of

'manly

vigour,'

Twashtri was reproduced

punishment for which

when Indra

them

as Prajapati,

his bala,

'

strength,'

violated Ahaly^, the wife of

the sage Gautama, his riipa, beauty,' abandoned him, and entered the N^satyau or AsVins.
'

When Dharma
Indra's bala,

gave back the

Sahadeva were born.

all

tejas of Indra,

Bhfma was born and when

portions of one deity, there could be no

is

Aswins restored the

Arjuna was born as half the essence

* See the last note.

his brothers

Yudhishthira was born when the

the

Drupada

harm

in

Wind gave up

riipa of Indra,

Draupadi becoming the wife

at first objected.

Nakula and

Hence, as they were

of Indra.

of all five.

Yudhishthira's excuse for himself and

remarkable; pHrveshdm dnupurvyena ydtam vartmdnuydmahe (7246).

+ She had a son by each of the five brothers Prativindhya by Yudhishthira Sutasoma
by Bhima S'rutakarman by Arjuna S'atanika by Nakula S'rutasena by Sahadeva (8039).
;

Arjuna had
on a

visit to

also another wife, Subhadra\, the sister of Krishna, with

Krishna at Dwaraka\

named Iravat by
Vishnu-purana,
of Janamejaya.

By

her he had a

the serpent-nymph Ulupf.

Rakshasi Hidimba"

rated to

(see

bottom of

p. 459).

p. 98)

Arjuna's son

-son,

Bhima had

bite

and

also a son, Ghatotkacha,

by the

and the others had children by different wives

Abhimanyu had a son

Parikshit died of the bite of a snake

him between the

whom he eloped when

He had also a son

Abhimanyu.

his death.

Parikshit,

who was

(see

the father

and the Bhagavata-purana was nar-

FIRST BOOK OR A'DI-PARVA.

the five Pandavas to occupy a district near the

they built Indraprastha (the modern

subjugated

much

called

Khandavaprastha, where

Delhi), and, under Yudhishthira as their leader,

of the adjacent territory by predatory incursions (6573).

While they were

rada *

Jumna,

101

living happily together, after these successes, the divine seer

cause of their disunion, lest the same fate should befal

brothers of the Daitya race,

The remainder

of the

Sunda and Upasunda.

first

book

is filled

them which happened

Their story

is

was bathing

in the

Ganges, he was carried

of the king of the Nagas,

whom

to two

then narrated

f.

with the adventures of Arjuna, who, to

One

a vow, went to reside for twelve years in the forest (7775).

fulfil

Xa-

to them, and admonished them to take care that Draupadi was never the

came

off

day,

when he

by the serpent-nymph Ulupi, daughter

Afterwards he married Chitran-

he married (7809).

named Ba-

gada, daughter of the king of Manipura (7826), and had a child by her

bhruvahana (7883).
In the course of his wanderings Arjuna came to Prabhasa, a place of pilgrimage
in the west of India,

him

where he met Krishna

(7888), and took him to

visitor into his

own house

his city

(7905).

J,

who

Dwaraka

here

first

formed a friendship with

(7899), where he received him as a

Soon afterwards, some of the

Krishna

relatives of

celebrated a festival in the mountain Raivataka, to which both Arjuna and Krishna

There they saw Balarama in a state of intoxication

went.

Revati (8912); and there they saw Subhadra, Krishna's

(Jcshica)

||

with his wife

Her beauty

sister.

excited

the love of Arjuna, who, after obtaining Krishna's leave, carried her off and married

In the twelfth year of his absence he returned with her to Indraprastha.

her (7937).

Krishna and Balarama followed him there, to celebrate Arjuna's marriage with Subhadra,

who

in

due time bore a son, named Abhimanyu (8025).

The Pandavas and

all

the people of Indraprastha then lived happily for some time

under the rule of Yudhishthira (8050).

in the

Jumna, and were

One day Arjuna and Krishna went

resting themselves after sporting in the stream,

were accosted by the god Agni in the form of a Brahman,

him

in his

Na>ada was one

It

J It

is

vlna" or lute.

briefly told in the 4th

may

many

of the ten divine Rishis, sons of Brahmii.

and was inventor of the

who begged them

attempts to burn the Khandava forest, sacred to Indra.

Agni's vigour had been exhausted by devouring too

He

||

He

was a friend of Krishna,

often acts as a messenger of the gods.

book of the Hitopadesa.

is

known

in

V.lsudeva, Kesava, Govinda, Jamirdana, Dannnlara, Pasarha,

(See Udyoga-p,

In the Draupadf-harana (75) Krishna and Arjuna are called Krishna*.

Compare Mcghaduta,

to help

appeared that

oblations at a great sacri-

N;trayana, Hyishikesa, Pumshottama, MaMhava, Madhusiidana, Achyuta.

2560.)

It

be useful to enumerate some of the other names by which Krishna

the Mahit-bharata, as follows

to bathe

when they

v. 51,

where Balar;ima's fondness

for

wine

is

alluded

to.

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHi-BHA'RATA.

102
fice,

and Brahma had revealed to him that there was only one way of recovering
by consuming the whole Khandava

strength, namely,

This he had attempted to do, but was always frustrated by Indra,

(8149).

deluging the forest extinguished the

a chariot, a bow, and divine arms.

bow

having an ape for

called Gandiva,

its

who by

assistance of

Arjuna agreed to help him, provided Agni furnished him with

Arjuna and Krishna.

gave him the

Agni therefore craved the

fire.

his

forest with all its inhabitants

Upon

this

Agni applied

two quivers

standard (kapi-lakshana).

called

god Varuna, who

to the

Akshayyau*, and a

chariot

These had been given to Varuna by

Soma, and now being handed over by Varuna to Agni, were by him given to Arjuna

Agni

(8183).

at the

same time gave to Krishna

as a

weapon the celebrated discus

(chakra) called Vajranabha, Sudars'ana, &c. (8196), and a club called

With the

(8200).

assistance of these weapons, Arjuna

(8207), who, unable to overcome them, could

Kaumodaki

and Krishna fought with Indra

no longer prevent Agni from completing

the burning of the forest, and thereby recovering his energy.

SECOND BOOK

or

SABHA-PARVA. This

commences by describing how

Arjuna and his brothers conquered various kings and subdued various countries (983)
in the

neighbourhood of Indraprastha.

Yudhishthira, elated with these successes,

undertook, with the assistance of Krishna (1223), to celebrate the Rajasuya, a great
sacrifice, at

He

which his own inauguration as paramount sovereign was to be performed.

could not, however, perform the Rajasuya

and powerful king named Jarasandha

but was challenged and

slain

(626),

by Bhima.

till

after the destruction of a tyrannical

who was

the determined foe of Krishna,

See Muir's Texts, vol. IV.

p. 245.

Afterwards a great assembly (sabhd) was held; various princes attended, and

brought either rich presents or tribute (1264).

Bhishma, Dhritarashtra and

Drupada,

S'alya,

his

Among

those

who came were

hundred sons, Subala (king of Gandhara), S'akuni,

Drona, Kripa, Jayadratha, Kuntibhoja,

S'is'upala,

extreme south and north (Dravida, Ceylon, and Kasmir, 1271)

and others from the

f.

On

the day of the

inauguration (abhisheka) Bhishma, at the suggestion of the sage Narada, proposed

that a respectful oblation (argha) should be prepared and offered in token of worship
to the best

and strongest person present ;

whom

he declared to be Krishna.

To

this

the Pandavas readily agreed ; and Sahadeva was commissioned to present the offering.
S'is'upala,

however, (also called Sunitha,) opposed the worship of Krishna (1336.

1414); and, after denouncing him as a contemptible and ill-instructed person (1340),

* Sometimes called akshayye, as isliudhi

t The

details in this part of the

poem

is

either masc. or fern.

are interesting and curious as throwing light on the

geographical divisions and political condition of India at an early epoch.

SECOND BOOK OR SABHi^-PARVA.

challenged him to fight

THIRD BOOK OR VANA-PARVA. 103

but Krishna instantly struck

The events of the Rajasuya having cemented the

Pandavas (1625), the former,

off his

alliance

head with his discus

completion of the ceremony, returned to Dwaraka.

at the

After this, in a conversation between

Duryodhana and Sakuni,

in

Duryodhana

skilful at

to contrive that Yudhishthira,

who was

very fond of gambling {dyutapriya), should play with

him (Sakuni)

was then persuaded to hold another assembly (sabhd)

rashtra

which the former

who was

expressed his determination to get rid of the Pandavas, Sakuni,

dice (akshakusala), persuaded

at

(1721).

with Sakuni.
sessions,

and

and Yudhishthira was

By

All were successively lost

Draupadi.

as a slave,

and Draupadi, who

was treated with great indignity by Duhsasana.

dragged her by the hair of the head into the assembly (2229. 2235)

Bhima, who witnessed

and drink

They con-

on by Duryodhana to play

easily prevailed

degrees Yudhishthira staked every thing, his territory, his pos-

last of all

was then regarded

pieces

Dhrita-

Hastinapur; and

Vidura was sent to the Pandavas, to invite them to be present (1993).

sented to attend

*.

between Krishna and the

his

this insult,

to

He

upon which

swore that he would one day dash Duhsasana to

blood f (2302).

The kingdom was given up

In the end a compromise was agreed upon.

Duryodhana

for twelve years

and the

five

Pandavas,

with Draupadi, were required to live for that period in the woods, and to pass the
thirteenth concealed under

assumed names

This concludes the

in various disguises.

Sabha-parva.

THIRD BOOK

or

eighteen, describes the

yaka
to

forest,

VAN A-PARVA.This,

and took up

which

one of the longest of the

is

of the Pandavas in the woods.

life

their

They

conquer back their kingdom at the end of the thirteenth year,

not willing to give

it

at the desire of

that he

Kam-

if

Duryodhana was

up.

While they were resident

and

retired to the

abode on the banks of the Saraswati (242), resolved

there, Arjuna, at the advice of his grandfather Vyasa,

Yudhishthira (1459), went to the Himalaya mountains (1495),

might perform there severe penance, and thereby obtain

Indra, to secure his victory over the

Kuru

On

princes.

celestial

arms from

arriving at Indrakila (the

* Duryodhana also, in a subsequent part of the MalnS-bharata, shows his scepticism in

regard to the divine nature of Krishna (Udyoga-p. 436S).

destruction by Krishna forms the subject of the celebrated
culars of the narrative as told in this

Sanskrit Texts, vol. IV. p. 171

180.

book

of the

t This threat he
called Venf-sanhara.

fulfilled.

The

incident

story of S'isupala and his

of

Magha.

All the parti-

Mahit-bharata are given by Dr. Muir

The Vishnu-puntna

Hiranya-kasipu and Ravana (Wilson's transl.

The
poem

identifies S'i^upiila

in lii>

with the demons

p. 437).
is

noticeable as

it is

the subject of the drama

104

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAH^-BH^RATA.

mountain Mandara), a voice in the sky

him

called out to

appeared to him, promising to give him the desired arms

able to obtain a sight of the

god S'iva

some time

of severe penance (1538); and after

bravery, approached

moment

that a

upon him.

him

both claimed to have hit him

S'iva,

his austerities

he was

reward him and prove his

in the form of a boar,

was making an attack

at the boar, which

This served as a pretext for

first.

and have a

At

dead, and

fell

S'iva, as

the Kirata,

Arjuna fought long with the

battle with him.

Kirata *, but could not conquer him.

self at his feet.

by

Arjuna commenced a course

S'iva, to

and Arjuna both shot together

to quarrel with Arjuna,

this

as a Kirata or wild mountaineer living by the chase, at the

demon named Muka,

S'iva

(1513).

Upon

to stop (1498), and Indra

if

last he recognised the god, and threw him-

him a boon ; and Arjuna

pleased with his bravery, granted

asked for the celebrated weapon Pas'upata, to enable him to conquer Karna and the

Kuru

and disappeared f (1650. 1664). Then

Yama, Varuna, and Kuvera,

S'iva granted his request,

princes in war.

the guardians of the four regions (lokapdldh), Indra,

presented themselves (1670), and each enriched Arjuna with his peculiar weapons.

Indra afterwards sent his chariot, with his charioteer Matali, to convey Arjuna from
the mountain
his ancestor

Mandara

Arjuna mounted the car

to his heavenly palace (17 15).

Dushyanta had done before him), and, amid

with Matali, arrived at the abode of his divine father,

who embraced him,

near himself on his throne, and permitted him to be present at a heavenly

Many

(as

instructive conversations

placed

him

festival.

other beautiful episodes are introduced into the Vana-parva; and long

such as that of Nala, to amuse and console the Pandu princes in

stories are narrated,

their banishment.

An

attempt to carry

off

Draupadi by Jayadratha, while the

five

brothers are absent on a shooting excursion, resembles in some respects the story of
Sita's forcible abduction

the

Ramayana

is

also told in this

FOURTH BOOK
exile,

or

in the

story of

describes the thirteenth year of

are obliged to live for this

to the court of king Virata,

Yudhishthira as master of the

and entered

his service

ceremonies and superintendent

groom

as cook (Paurogava)

Nakula

Sahadeva as herdsman (Go-sankhyatri)

Arjuna as eunuch or com-

games (Sabhastara) j Bhima

(Aswabandha)

The whole

(15572).

book (15945).

VIRATA-PARVA.This

They journeyed

in different disguises

panion and teacher of the

women (Shandaka)

* This scene forms the subject of a celebrated

f

Ramayana

and recounts the adventures of the Pandavas, who

year incognito.

of the

by Ravana

and Draupadi

as

or farrier

as servant-maid

and

poem by Bharavi called the Kirdtarjunfya.

Muir the greater portion of the 4th

Since writing the above I have received from Dr.

volume of

his Sanskrit Texts,

translated

by him

at p. 194.

now

passing through the press.

Part of the episode has been

FOURTH BOOK OR VIRATA-PAR V A.

needle-woman (Sairindhri,
their

bows and weapons

called himself a

Before offering themselves to Virata, they deposited

77).

growing

in a Sami-tree

in a cemetery,

any one from approaching

in the branches to prevent

105

Brahman and took

name

the

of

Kanka

and hung a dead body

Yudhishthira

(170. 2147).

it

(23)

Arjuna named himself

Vrihannala (54), and as a eunuch (tritiydm prakritim gatah) adopted a sort of woman's

on

dress, putting bracelets

to hide the scars caused

arms and ear-rings

his

by

in his ears (53), in order, as he said,

He undertook

his bow-string (52).

in this capacity to

teach dancing, music, and singing to the daughter of Virata and the other

women

of

the palace (305), and soon gained their good graces (310).
Virata's capital

was

called

after the arrival of the

Matsya

(or

sometimes Upaplavya).

Pandavas, a great festival was held,

Bhima then

wrestlers (malla) exhibited their prowess.

to the

ground and

(373),

There, four months

which a number of

astonished Virata by dashing

named Jimuta

killing the strongest of the wrestlers

months of the year thus passed away

at

(362).

Ten

when one day Draupadi, who acted as

named Kichaka.

servant-maid to the queen Sudeshna, was seen by Virata's general

He

fell

in love with her (376),

and

tried every artifice to seduce her without effect,

at last, pretending to favour his advances, she

room {nartandgdra,

till

agreed to meet him at a certain dancing-

735), having first consulted with

Bhima, who dressed himself

in

her clothes, kept the assignation for her, and had a tremendous fight (bdhu-yuddha)

with Kichaka, pounding him with his

Bhima then returned

fists

into an undistinguishable

privately to his kitchen (786),

mass of

flesh.

and Draupadi to explain the

death of Kichaka, declared that he had been killed by her husbands, the Gandharvas
(787).

Upon

this the relatives of

Kichaka made a great uproar, and attempted to

burn Draupadi with the body; but Bhima came to her rescue, tore up a tree* for
a weapon, and slew more than a hundred men.

The scene now shifts and takes us back to Duryodhana and the Kurus. The spies
who had been sent to ascertain, if possible, the retreat of the Pandavas, and so prevent
the fulfilment of the compact which required

without discovering them.

the spies repeated

it

at

them

to preserve their incognito, returned

Having heard, however, the

an assembly.

Upon

this,

story of the death of Kichaka,

Susarman king of

country had been often ravaged by Kichaka, proposed to

territory for the sake of plunder,

and Virata, accompanied by

exile

all

and to carry

make

off his cattle (980).

Trigarta,

whose

a raid into Virata's

This he did (999),

the Pandavas except Arjuna (their thirteenth year of

being just about to expire, 1001), invaded Trigarta to recover his property (1036).

A great

battle

as usual tore

was fought, and Virata was taken prisoner by Susarman (1076).

up a

* This

tree

Bhima

and prepared to rescue him; but Yudhishthira advised him not

was Bhima's favourite way

of exhibiting his

enormous strength,

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHa'rATA.

106

He

to display his strength too conspicuously, lest he should be recognized (1084).

then took a bow, pursued Susarman, defeated him, released Virata, and recovered the
cattle (11 17).

he was

still

mean

In the
Trigarta,

Virata then expressed his gratitude to the Pandavas (whose real names

ignorant of) and promised them rewards (1132).

time, while Virata

Duryodhana and

Matsya, and carried

off

and the four Pandavas were

his brothers

more

cattle.

made an

Uttara (called also Bhuminjaya) the son of

Virata, (in the absence of his father,) determined to follow

if

an ^ promised to bring back

fine clothes

When

and the other women of the palace (1226).

and attack the Kuru army,

Vrihannala (Arjuna) undertook

any one could be found to act as his charioteer.

this office (1227),

and ornaments

(1241),

and jumping from the

him

to return,

undertook to fight the Kauravas.

Bhishma, Duryodhana, and

in disguise (1286),

declared that

if

Then the usual

their followers,

who

Vrihannala pursued him,

he himself (Arjuna)

prodigies took place, terror seized

suspected that Vrihannala was Arjuna

and even the horses shed tears*

(1290).

Duryodhana, however,

he turned out to be Arjuna, he would have to wander in

which

his

Kuru

he refused to fight

act as charioteer (1279), while

second period of twelve years (1300).

S'ami-tree, in

away (1258).

chariot, ran

and made him

for Uttara

they arrived in sight of the

army, the courage of Uttara (who was a mere youth) failed him

forced

absent at

still

expedition against Virata's capital,

exile for a

Meanwhile Arjuna made Uttara drive to the

bow Gandiva and

other arms were concealed (1306).

There,

having recovered his weapons, he revealed himself to Uttara (1371), and explained also
the disguises of his brothers and Draupadi.

Uttara, then, to test his veracity, inquired

whether he could repeat Arjuna's ten names, and what each meant (1373).

enumerated them (Arjuna, Phalguna, Jishnu,

Kiritin,

Arjuna

Swetavahana, Bibhatsu, Vijaya,

1390).

Krishna, Savya-sachin, Dhananjaya), and explained their derivation f (1380

Uttara then declared that he was

Arjuna next put

assumed
saying,

all

"we

satisfied,

off his bracelets

his other weapons,

and no longer afraid of the Kuru army (1393).

and woman's

attire,

which are described

strung his

as addressing

are your servants, ready to carry out your

bow Gandiva, and

him

commands

suppliantly,

" (*42i).
J

He

and
also

* Compare Homer, Iliad XVII. 426.

With reference to note *, p. 19, I should

name Arjuna is Prithivyam chaturantayam varno
me durlabhah samah, karomi karma suklam cha tena mam Arjunam viduh. In the note at
p. 96 I have omitted the name Vijaya, but I have alluded to Arjuna's name Krishna in the
note at p. 10 1. This name is thus explained: Krishna ityeva dasamam nama chakre pita
mama, KrishnaVad^tasya satah priyatw^d balakasya vai.
f See Arjuna's other names

in the last note, p. 96.

state that the explanation here given of the

Compare Ramayana

p. 27.

I.

xxix, where these magical weapons also address Ra^na.

See note,

FOURTH BOOK OK VIRi^FA-PABVA.

removed Uttara's standard and placed
chariot (1438).

Then

own ape-emblazoned banner

his

in front

and the Kauravas took

a great battle between Arjuna

which the brother of Karna was killed by Arjuna (1678).

place

1<>7
of the

place, in

Single combats also took

between Arjuna and the following heroes: Kripa (1790), Drona (1846), As'wat-

thaman (1902), Karna (1939), Duhs'asana (1989), Vikarna (1992), Bhishma (2040),
and Duryodhana (2090). In all these contests Arjuna was victorious. At length the
whole Kuru army

fled before

him

(2138),

and

all

the property and cattle of Virata was

recovered. Arjuna then told Uttara to conceal the real circumstances of the battle,
to

make himself out

tree.

his father's capital

announcing

and hearing that Uttara had gone

for his charioteer,

was much alarmed

to fight the

Kuru army with only

the Kauravas, gods, and Asuras together (2176).

all

Soon afterwards, Uttara's messengers arrived and announced

which so delighted Virata that he ordered the whole
daughter Uttara with a procession of

Meanwhile he called to Kanka

that he

might mark

his joy

(i. e.

women and

city to

his victory (2177),

be decorated, and sent his

minstrels to meet his son (2189).

Yudhishthira as the Sabhastara) to bring dice,

Kanka advised him

by a game.

not to play, and

warning related the story of Yudhishthira (2195); but in the end they played

together,
this.

eunuch

and dispatched a whole

for his safety (2174),

But Yudhishthira astonished him by saying that with Vrihannala

to aid him.

he was more than a match for

as a

his victory

Meanwhile Virata himself with the four Pandavas returned home from Tri-

3157).

army

and

to the S'ami-

he re-deposited his arms and re-assumed the disguise of Vrihannala (2150

Next he desired Uttara to send messengers to

garta

and having returned

to Virata as the victor (2145);

and during the game (2198) Virata began to praise

his son's courage.

Upon

Yudhishthira hinted that he could have done nothing without Vrihannala, which

so enraged Virata, that he

aimed

The nose bled

dice (2208).

hands, and Draupadi,

blow

a severe

at Yudhishthira's nose

with one of the

profusely, but Yudhishthira caught the blood in his

who happened

to be near, received

it

in a

golden vessel (22 11).

Soon afterwards Uttara arrived, and seeing Kanka covered with blood, asked the
reason (2222).

Virata explained, and Uttara then

pardon (2225).

The

the ground, Virata

latter

and

all

made

was appeased, but declared that

his

his
if

kingdom must have perished

father beg

Kanka's

the blood had touched

(2227).

Virata then

broke out into a long eulogy of his son's courage; but Uttara stopped him. and
declared that he deserved no credit for the victory, as the son of
forced

him

Kuru army

to return
for

replied that he

when he was running away

him (2242V

in terror,

some

Virata asked where this divine being was (2252

had vanished, but had promised to re-appear

Vrihannala (Arjuna) then gave to Uttara

they had taken in battle 12257).

On

all

deity

had

and had conquered the

in a

).

day or two

Uttara

22-4

the garments and costly articles which

the third day after this. Virata held a great

I'

SUMMARY OP THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHa'rATA.

108

assembly, at which the five Pandavas attended, and took their seats with the other
Virata (who did not yet

princes (2262).
this

presumption (2266)

lighted,

know

was

their real rank)

at first

Arjuna then revealed who they were.

embraced the Pandavas, offered them

all his

Arjuna declined

daughter Uttara in marriage.

Abhimanyu, whose wife she became

*,

possessions,

at

and

Arjuna his

to

but accepted her for his son

The book

(2355).

angry

Virata was de-

closes with a description of

the marriage festivities, to which Krishna and Balarama were invited (2356).

FIFTH

BOOK

or

UDYOGA-PARVA.This

an assembly of princes called by Virata,

were present.

and Krishna,

is

book opens with a description

held as to what course the Pandavas were to take

in a speech, advised that they should not

Balarama supported Krishna's opinion

(24).

go to war with their kinsmen

(28),

restore half the

recommended

and suggested that Yudhishthira should try another game

tion (sdman),

This speech excited the indignation of Satyaki,

S'akuni (36).

counselled war (40).

of

which the Pandavas, Krishna and Balarama,

had sent an ambassador to Duryodhana, summoning him to

until they

kingdom

consultation

at

Drupada supported him

(66),

who

concilia-

at dice with

an angry tone

in

and recommended that they

should anticipate Duryodhana by sending messengers to various kings and princes,

urging them to collect armies and come to their aid

Krishna approved the

(70).

counsel of Drupada, but inclined to negotiation rather than to a fratricidal war

he

declared that he had only joined the assembled princes to be present at the marriage;

and that

as he

home and

was related to both the Pandavas and Kauravas, he should now return

await the course of events, without joining either side (93).

returned to

Dwaraka with Balarama and

then sent messengers to

The sons

all their allies,

his followers (100).

and

of Dhritarashtra did the same.

collected their forces

He

accordingly

Virata and

from

all

After this, the family-priest of

Drupada

parts (102).

Drupada was

dispatched by the Pandavas as an ambassador to king Dhritarashtra at Hastinapur, to

try the effect of negotiation (127).

Meanwhile Krishna and Balarama returned

mined

to follow Krishna there,

Kuru army.

On

there also, and

where he was
first,

it

(131).

Duryodhana

Duryodhana

arrived in

deter-

side of the

Dwaraka, Arjuna came

happened that they both reached the door of Krishna's apartment,

same moment

(135).

his station at Krishna's head.

reverently at Krishna's feet (137).

* Giving as his reason that she

in the

Dwaraka

hoping to prevail on him to fight on the

the very day that

asleep, at the

and took up

to

women's apartments,

as

Duryodhana succeeded

in entering

Arjuna followed behind, and stood

On awaking, Krishna's eyes first fell on Arjuna (138).

had trusted

eunuch (2328).

to

him

like a father

when he had

lived with her

100

FIFTH BOOK OR UDYOGA-PARVA.

He

then asked them both the object of their

his aid in battle, declaring that

that, as he

(Duryodhana) had entered the room

Krishna answered that, as he had seen Arjuna

choice of
lay

down

On

two things.
his

he was entitled to the priority.

first,

he should give Arjuna the

first,

first

the one side, he placed himself, stipulating that he was to

weapons and abstain from fighting.

a hundred million (arbuda) warriors,

chose Krishna;

Duryodhana thereupon requested

visit.

although Krishna was equally related to Arjuna, yet

and Duryodhana, with

Krishna was pledged not to

fight,

On

army of

the other, he placed his

named Narayanas.

Arjuna, without hesitation,

glee, accepted the

army, thinking that as

he would be unable to help the Pandavas in

battle (154).

Duryodhana next went

to

Balarama and asked

his aid

but Balarama declared

When

that both he and Krishna had determined to take no part in the strife* (159).

Duryodhana was gone, Krishna expressed

his

surprise that Arjuna

should have

chosen him (Krishna), although pledged not to fight (ayudhyamdnam).

replied, that

Arjuna

he did so in the hope that Krishna would act as his charioteer, from which

he expected to gain as

much

had received material

in prestige as if he

assistance.

Krishna then consented to do so (170), and with Arjuna joined Yudhishthira, who

with his brothers was

S'alya,

still

living in the country of Virata.

king of Madra, and brother of Madri, now arrived with a large army to

aid his relatives, the Pandavas, but

Duryodhana by an

pledge himself to take the side of the Kauravas.

to assist

Arjuna when engaged

to the latter,

in single

and discouraging him

artifice

contrived to

combat with Karna, by acting

S'alya then, to console

(215).

make him

He, however, promised Yudhishthira

as charioteer

Y udhishthira

for

the sufferings he and his brothers had endured, related, in a long episode, the troubles
of the

god Indra,

his conflict with a three-headed son of Twashtri,

and with the demon

We have
sent

Vritra, &c. (229

next an account of the arrival at Hastinapur of the

by Drupada and the Pandavas.

princes (604), calling on

He made

Tris'iras,

and forget (prishthatah

Brahman ambassador

a speech before the assembled Kuril

Bhishma and Dhritarashtra

their paternal inheritance (paitrikam dhanam).

desirous to forgive

named

553).

He

to give

kri) all past

wrongs, and to return to their

possessions without destroying their kindred in battle.

them, they had eleven armies ready to fight (620).

back to the Pandavas

declared that the Pandavas were

Still, if

war was forced on

Karna, in reply to

this,

made

an angry speech, saying, that the Pandavas had brought upon themselves the
hardships they had undergone, and that the time was not yet expired during which

Compare Megha-dtita,

viinukho.

v. 51.

where Balarama

is

described as Bandhu-prftyd

Bamara-

110

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OP THE MAHA-BHA'rATA.

they were bound by agreement to wander

the forest (636).

in

added, " would give up the whole earth even to an enemy,

would not

yield a fraction

fiery speech,

be made to eat the dust' (640).

on sending Sanjaya

(his

by Arjuna in

caution, lest, killed

" Duryodhana," he

justice required

Bhishma rebuked Karna

through fear" (635).

and counselled

if

battle,

'

but

it,

for his

they should

Dhritarashtra agreed with Bhishma, and determined

charioteer, also called Gavalgani) as

an ambassador with

kind messages to the Pandavas, to Virata, and to Krishna (684).

Sanjaya accord-

ingly arrived at Upaplavya, where the Pandavas were dwelling with Virata, and
delivered the compliments with which he

Yudhishthira * made a

was charged.

civil

speech in return (690), and asked what message he had brought from Dhritarashtra.

Sanjaya replied, that Dhritarashtra wished for peace, to which Yudhishthira rejoined,

A long

that neither did he desire war (738).

conversation ensued, in which Sanjaya

exhorted the Pandavas to pacification (sdman).

abandon

The

latter

Yudhishthira said that he could not

and that he would be guided by the advice of Krishna.

his duty (dharma),

then made a speech (809), in which he expressed himself equally desirous

of pacification, but thought

it

impossible to avoid war, in consequence of the grasping

avaricious nature of Dhritarashtra

and his sons

hands by Draupadi and the Pandavas

(811),

and of the wrongs suffered

He

(844).

also

at their

observed that the duty

(dharma) of a Kshatriya was to fight. The colloquy ended by Yudhishthira sending

back the following message to the Kauravas. " Peace and friendship shall be between
us, provided that

towns f one
,

we

receive

back our share of the kingdom, together with

for each of the brothers (935).

We

five

are prepared either for peace or for

war, for mildness or severity" (938).

Sanjaya then returned to Dhritarashtra, but being fatigued with his journey (969),
declined to deliver his message

till

the next day in full assembly.

rashtra to pass a sleepless anxious night

Vidura,

who

entertained

him with a tedious

section called Prajdgara-parva, 972

1564

This caused Dhrita-

and to while away the time he sent

J),

for

didactic discourse (contained in the

at the

end of which, Dhritarashtra

asked to be instructed on certain mysterious points relative to the immortality of the

soul and

its

union with the body.

Vidura declared

that,

being the son of a Sudra

woman, he was prohibited from discoursing on such matters (1569); but a

named Sanatsujata appeared at his summons, and helped to pass the remainder
night by a long metaphysical disquisition (1578

* I have omitted in note J, p. 96, a

t The

five

1790).

of Yudhishthira here used, viz. Ajata-satru.

townships (grdmdh) claimed by the Pandavas were Kusasthala (elsewhere Avi-

sthala), Vrikasthala, Malcandi,

Many

name

Rishi
of the

Varanavata, and Avasana.

verses in the Hitopadesa are taken from this

and other moral discourses

of Vidura.

Ill

FIFTH BOOK OR UDYOGA-PARVA.

Next day an assembly was held

at

which

Sanjaya detailed in the most minute manner

with the Pandavas

the Kauravas were present, and

all
all

that had passed in his interview

among

Considerable confusion then arose

*.

some counselling war, others peace.

This

the

Kuru

described at great length.

is

party,

Bhishma

declared that Arjuna as an incarnation of Nara, and Krishna as a form of Narayana,

were invincible (1936; see Muir's Texts, vol. IV.

and blamed Duryodhana and

ciliation,

p. 196).

Dhritarashtra was for con-

his other sons for their infatuation (2257).

Sanjaya described the forces he saw collected on the side of the Pandavas (2233), and

enumerated the principal

chiefs, viz.

Krishna, Chekitana, Satyaki (called Yuyudhanaf),

Drupada, with his son Dhrishtadyumna, S'ikhandin, Virata, with his sons

Satyajit,

Sankha and

Suryadatta,

Uttara,

Madiras'wa,

Abhimanyu

Uttamaujas, Yudhamanyu, &c, of

received by his sister) was the

the Pandavas to

commence

whom Dhrishtadyumna

most eager

for the war,

Kaikeyas (brothers),

(remembering the insult

and was continually urging

The Pandu

hostilities (2278).

Saubhadra (son of

or

Arjuna), Jarasandhi, Dhrishta-ketu king of Chedi, the five

forces were to be dis-

tributed so that each division should be ranged in opposition to certain sections of

Kuru army

the

Yudhishthira was to oppose Salya king of Madra; Bhima

(2243).

was to do battle with Duryodhana and his brothers

Kama, As'watthaman
Kuru

the

side were

Arjuna was to be ranged against

(son of Drona), Vikarna, and Jayadratha.

Other great chiefs on

Bhishma, Drona, Somadatta, Kripa, &c.

Before any actual declaration of war, the Pandavas held a final consultation, at

which Arjuna begged Krishna to undertake the

the matter by negotiation (2802).
diate

war (2862);

and Draupadi

received (see p. 103,

ever

1.

too,

14), deprecated

who
all

of a mediator, hoping to settle

could not forget the insult she had

attempts at conciliation.

persisted in requesting Krishna to

still

office

Sahadeva, supported by Satyaki, advocated imme-

make

Arjuna how-

the attempt, as he (Krishna)

was regarded as equally friendly to both sides (2920). " If Duryodhana," he said,
" refuses to listen to your conciliatory language, and to consult his own interest, then
nothing save him from his fate."

let

Krishna then consented to

set out for Hastina-

pur as mediator.

Then

follows a description of his departure in a splendid chariot, accompanied

Satyaki f,

and

all

(2931).
*

who

by

was told by Krishna to stow away in the car the sankha, chakra, gada,

Krishna's other weapons, for fear of treachery on the part of Duryodhana

The

Much

chariot

matter

is

was followed

for a short distance

by the Pandavas, and met

here interpolated; for instance, a long speech

made by Arjuna,

in

which

he prophecied various incidents of the coining war, and the remorse of Duryodhana.

SsCtyaki, also called

(2930).

He

Ywyudkoma and Sfameya, was son of Satyaka, and grandson of S

belonged to the same family as Krishna.

ini

SUMMARY OP THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHX-BHARATA.

112

midway by Parasu-rama and

various Rishis (2984),

resolution to be present at the

who informed Krishna

coming congress of Kuru

of their

Krishna halted for

princes.

the night at Vrikasthala (3012), where he received honour from the inhabitants.

When

Dhritarashtra heard of his approach, he declared his intention of presenting

him with magnificent

Duryodhana, however, deprecated

presents (3040).

such

all

expressions of devotion, and hinted that he should detain Krishna as a prisoner (3090).

Both Dhritarashtra and Bhishma were

both as ambassador and

Duryodhana went out

house of Dhritarashtra.

to

Kunti

meet Krishna; and the

(or Pritha, the

and declared

horrified at this speech,

he was worthy of

He and

Pandavas (3123).

after the
sister

relative,

Next day,

all respect.

latter,

that,

except

all

thus escorted, entered the

Vidura honoured him, and made friendly inquiries

In the afternoon Krishna paid a

visit to his father's

mother of Yudhishthira, Arjuna, and Bhima), and con-

soled her in a long conversation (3128

Duryodhana, but refused to accept

3234).

Krishna then visited the house of

his hospitality or to eat with

him

He

(3247).

declared that he would eat with no one except Vidura, to whose house he next went,

and was there entertained (3274). Krishna then told Vidura the object of his journey,
and his desire to effect a reconciliation between the rival cousins (3324).
After that,

and of

we have an account

ing (3334).

He

Next follows a description of the great congress. The

by Narada, appeared

3375)The

Krishna.

in the sky,

and were accommodated with

Kama

Duryodhana and
latter

sat together

seats in the

set out

headed

assembly

from

seat, a little apart

:

"Let

Kurus and Pandavas" (3386) then, looking towards

:

Dhritarashtra, he said, " It rests with

you and me

he had concluded a long harangue,

None ventured

eloquence (3448).

on one

Rishis,

opened the proceedings by a speech, which commenced thus

there be peace (sama) between the

When

on awaking in the morn-

then dressed himself, put on the jewel Kaustabha (3343), and

for the assembly.

(337

of Krishna's retiring to rest in the house of Vidura,

his performing all the appointed religious ceremonies

all

to effect a reconciliation" (3396).

remained riveted and

Paras'u-rama then broke silence, and related the story of king

(345o; see Muir's Texts, vol. IV.

thrilled

by

his

to reply.

p. 198).

He ended by

Dambhodbhava

declaring that Arjuna

and

Krishna were Nara and Narayana, and therefore invincible (3496).

The sage Kanwa then addressed Duryodhana,

mended
his

peace,

brow

Kama,

praised Krishna and Arjuna, recom-

and related the story of Matali (351 1

at this speech, then, to

show

burst out into a loud laugh (371

3710).

Duryodhana knitted

his scorn, struck his thigh,

1).

Upon

that,

and looking

Narada rebuked

at

his obsti-

nacy, related the history of Galava, a disciple of Vis wamitra, and that of Yayati, both of

whom

suffered

by

make peace with

their pride

and obstinacy (3720

the Pandavas (41 18).

41

16),

and recommended him to

Dhritarashtra then declared that he concurred

113

FIFTH BOOK OR UDYOGA-PARVA.

but that he had no power over his wicked son Duryodhana.

in the opinion of the Rishis,

He

Thereupon Krishna

therefore begged Krishna to try his influence once more.

made another

and Dhritarashtra, who

(4187), Vidura, Drona,

But

all

any

to

no

territory

persuade Duryodhana (4128), and was seconded by Bhishma

effort to

effect

"

It

all

joined their entreaties (4194

Duryodhana only made an angry

was not our fault," he

said,

"

if

reply,

and refused

4231).

to give

up

the Pandavas were conquered at

dice" (4241). Krishna's wrath then rose in earnest (4259). Duhs'asana, alarmed, said to

Duryodhana, "

you

If

will not

consent to peace, the Kauravas will deliver you, and

Upon

Karna, and me, bound, into the hands of the Pandavas" (4281).

dhana rose up and

The queen Gandhari was then

sent for, that she might

kingdom

appease

Spurning her advice, he went away again

Pandavas (4353).

to the

Krishna by force and imprison him (4368).

him

summoned

to be

Dhritarashtra suspecting his inten-

again to the assembly, and rebuked

Krishna then addressing him,

(4396).

effort to

and consulted with Karna, S'akuni, and Duhs'asana, how he might

in a fury (4364),

seize

make an

Gandhari then addressed him, entreating him to give up

eyes red with anger (4326).

tion, ordered

Duryo-

Acceding to her request, Duryodhana returned to the assembly, his

her son (4315).

half the

that,

the assembly, followed by his brothers (4287).

left

said,

"

You

think that

am

that the Pandavas, Andhakas, Vrishnis, Adityas, Rudras, Vasus,

present here in me."

Thereupon he laughed aloud, and flames of

a thumb, settled on him.

Brahma appeared on

his forehead,

him

sternly

alone, but

and Rishis

of the size of

fire,

Rudra on

know
are all

his breast, the

guardians of the world on his arms, Agni was generated from his mouth

the Adityas,

Sadhyas, Vasus, As'wins, Maruts with Indra, Vis'wadevas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and

Rakshasas were also manifested around him

arm
his

Balarama from his

back

flames of

fire

obliged to close their eyes

every form (4437).

Arjuna was produced from his right

Bhima, Yr udhishthira, and the sons of Madri from

issued from his eyes, nose, and ears

the pores of his skin* (4419

divine vision, that he

arm

left

4430).

At

this

and the sun's rays from

awful sight, the assembled princes were

but the blind Dhritarashtra was gifted by Krishna with

might behold the glorious spectacle of

Then a

his identification with

great earthquake and other portents occurred (4439),

and the congress broke up.

Krishna, having suppressed his divinity, re-assumed his

human form and

Before rejoining the Pandavas, he paid a farewell

departed.

his father's sister Pritha,

him the

and told her

all

that had happened (4459).

4668), after which Krishna

Muchukunda and Vidula (4467

He took Karna with him for some

stories of

on his return.

distance in his chariot,

ft

set out

hoping

* This remarkahlo passage, identifying Vishnu with every thing in the universe,
later interpolation.

visit to

She narrated to

may

to

he a

SUMMAEY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAhX-BHXrATA.

114

persuade him to take part with the Pandavas as a sixth brother (4737).
standing

Krishna's arguments, Karna would not be persuaded

all

But, notwith-

and, leaving the

chariot, returned to the sons of Dhritarashtra (4883).

We
to

have next an account of an interview between Karna and Pritha.

him the

against his half-brothers.

story, bidding

Karna obey

thought that men would

fight

heavenly voice, issuing from the sun, confirmed her

his

call

She revealed

and begged him not to

story of his birth (see p. 94 of this volume),

Karna

mother (4960).

him a coward

at first

resolve not to take part with the Pandavas.

He however

wavered; but the

Kuru

for deserting the

party

made him

promised not to join in

mortal combat with any but Arjuna (4949).

Krishna's return to the Pandavas at Upaplavya

counted

army

of

all

that

had taken

is

He

next described (8957).

re-

place at Hastinapur, and informed Yudhishthira that the

Duryodhana was assembling

at

Kurukshetra (5095).

Yudhishthira, hearing this, proceeded to marshal his forces, which consisted of

seven

armies (akshauhinis) , over which the following were appointed generals

full

Drupada,

Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, S'ikhandin, Satyaki,

(5101).

By

to lead

them

and Bhima

Chekitana,

the advice of Krishna, Dhrishtadyumna was appointed general-in- chief,

to Kurukshetra, where they formed a

Soon afterwards, Balarama declared

Bhima and Duryodhana, he

said,

camp (5145

his resolution to retire

5175).

from the

contest.

Both

were his pupils in the use of the mace ; he had an

equal regard for both, and he could not look on while the Kauravas were being
destroyed

he should therefore make a pilgrimage to the banks of the Saraswati,

and there wait the end of the war (5348).

We have next a description of the coming of Rukmin, son of the king of Bhoja, to
the

camp

He had

of the Pandavas.

offered himself to Yudhishthira as

Then

follows an account of

an

a wonderful bow, called Vijaya (5359), and

ally.

how Uluka was

sent

by Duryodhana

with a hostile message, challenging them to battle (5407

to the Pandavas,

5713).

Meanwhile Bhishma consented to accept the generalship of the Kuru army (5719).

Though

averse to fighting against his kinsmen, he could not as a Kshatriya abstain

from joining

in the war,

when once commenced.

he was well acquainted with the

chiefs

* Bhishma, though really the grand-uncle of the

their grandfather (pitdmaJia)

sometimes styled their

father.

As the

on each

side,

oldest warrior

on the

field *,

and, at the request of Duryo-

Kuru and Pandu

princes,

is

often styled

and though really the uncle of Dhritarashtra and Pandu,

He

is

is

a kind of Priam in caution and sagacity, but like a

hardy old veteran, never consents to leave the fighting to others.

115

SIXTH BOOK OR BHl'sHMA-PARVA.

dhana, enumerated
(57

all

the chariots and combatants of both Kauravas and Pandavas

4594o).

Bhishma then

told

Duryodhana that although he was

kill

Drupada, S'ikhandin, who was

first

To

male (5940).

born as a female, and afterwards changed to a

explain his reasons for not fighting with S'ikhandin, he related the

Amba, daughter

story of

willing to fight, he could

the sons of Kunti, or to fight with the son of

never bring himself either to

of the king of Kasi,

who

with her two

sisters,

Ambika and

Ambalika, (afterwards wives of Vichitra-virya, and mothers of Dhritarashtra and

Pan du,

The

had been carried

see p. 92 of this volume,)

that he might marry

eldest,

them

by Bhishma

off

to his brother Vichitra-virya (595)

Amba, on reaching Hastinapur,

herself to the king of Salwa,

told

at a

Bhishma that she had

affianced

and begged so piteously to be released and sent

When,

that

Bhishma consented.

lord,

he refused to receive her, hearing that she had been carried

Amba

swayamvara,

to him,

however, she presented herself to her affianced

off

by Bhishma.

then wandered about disconsolate, not knowing where to take refuge.

she was told by an ascetic to apply to Paras'u-Rama (6047).

should be born in the family of Drupada as a

man, and

kill

Bhishma,

girl,

we have

At

last

told her that she

and should afterwards become a

in revenge for the disgrace he

In the course of this long episode

He

had brought upon her (7383).

combat

a description of a single

between Bhishma and Parasu-Rama (7142), as well as the story of S'ikhandin's birth

and transformation (7391).

SIXTH BOOK

or

BHI'SHMA-PARVA. Before

appeared to his son Dhritarashtra,

who was

the armies joined battle, Vyasa

greatly dejected at the prospect of the

war, consoled him, and offered to confer sight

upon him, that he might view the

Dhritarashtra declined witnessing the slaughter of his kindred, and Vyasa

combat.

then said that he would endow Sanjaya ( Dhritarashtra' s charioteer) with the faculty
of

knowing every thing that took

place,

making him

invulnerable, and enabling

transport himself by a thought at any time to any part of the field of battle (43

We

have then an account of

These exceeded
blood

fall

&c. &c. (50

fire,

to

47).

the prodigies which occurred before the fight.

in horror all the usual

(21), not only

looked like

all

him

hackneyed portents.

was thunder heard

in a cloudless

Not only

did showers of

sky

but the moon

(67),

asses were born from cows, cows from mares, jackals from dogs,

113).

Sanjaya then entertained Dhritarashtra with a long description of the earth

general,

and Bharata-varsha (India)

&c. (163

893).

Part of this

is

in particular, its

geography, botany, /.oology,

translated in Wilson's Vishnu-Purana.

The armies now met on Kurukshetra,

p.

a vast plain north-west of Delhi

Q.

in
vVc.

79.

the

Klin

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHa'rATA.

116

commanded by Bhishma, and

forces being

Drupada (832 ; and

the Pandavas by Dhrishtadyumna, son of

While the hosts stood drawn up

see Salya-parva, 1590).

him

array, Krishna, acting as Arjuna's charioteer (see p. 109), addressed

in battlein a long

philosophical discourse, which forms the celebrated episode called Bhagavad-gita

(830

1532

and see

32 of this volume).

p.

would be useless

It

The

Arjuna.

(5610).

latter resorted to

who

S'ikhandin,

Bhishma

shot

between the warriors described in

to detail all the fights

book, which closes with an account of a

this

terrific conflict

what was deemed an unfair

in the breast after his

between Bhishma and

making use of

artifice,

bow was broken by Arjuna

Arjuna then transfixed Bhishma with innumerable arrows, so that there was

not a space of two fingers' breadth on his whole body unpierced (5653).

Bhishma
as

it

fell

from

his chariot

was by countless arrows (5658).

arrowy couch (sara-talpe saydna).

There

it

remained, reclining as

He had

the

were on an

received from his father the power

own death (5674), and now declared

sun entered the summer solstice (uttardyana).

of fixing the time of his

life till

it

In that state consciousness returned, and the old

warrior became divinely supported (5659).

ing

Then

but his body could not touch the ground, surrounded

that he intended retain-

All the warriors on both sides ceased fighting that they might view this wonderful
sight,

and do homage to

their dying relative (5716).

As he

lay on his arrowy bed,

head hanging down, he begged for a pillow; whereupon the

his

chiefs

made

a pillow for his head with three sharp arrows, which

(5735)-

Soon

after this,

Bhishma

brought

all

Arjuna then

kinds of soft supports, which the hardy old soldier sternly rejected.

quite approved

Whereupon Arjuna

he asked Arjuna to bring him water.

struck the ground with an arrow, and forthwith a pure spring burst forth (5785),

which so refreshed Bhishma that he called

begged him, before

He

was too

late, to restore

for

Duryodhana, and in a long speech

half the

kingdom

to the

Pandavas (5813).

then tried to persuade Karna to desert Duryodhana and join his brothers, the

Pandavas (5838).
as a Kshatriya
It is to
is

it

was

When, however, Kama

to

refused,

Bhishma

told

him

that his duty

go on fighting (5854).

be observed that this book does not close with the death of Bhishma.

supposed to retain

life

supernaturally,

and Anus'asana-parva, where, lying

him by Arjuna

(sara-talpa),

in a

and appears again

moribund

state

in

He

both the Santi-parva

on the bed of arrows shot

at

he yet had strength given him to edify Yudhishthira,

after the conclusion of the war,

with most prolix discourses on the duties of kings,

&c. &c.

SEVENTH BOOK
and there

is

or

DRONA-PARVA.This

much sameness

book

is

spun out most tediously,

in the interminable descriptions of single

combats be-

SEVENTH BOOK OR DRONA-PARVA.

tween the heroes.
his old tutor

After the

of

of the

army

and we have then a long narrative of

four brothers

117

BOOK &C.

Bhishma, Karna advised Duryodhana to appoint

chiefly formidable

command

magical weapons*) to the

(173)

fall

Drona (who was

EIGHTH

bound themselves by an oath

from

his stock of fiery arrows

(150).

The king

battles.

to slay

and

This was accordingly done

of Trigarta and his

Arjuna (683)

and we have an
Innumerable

account of the destruction (782) of these conspirators (sansaptaka).

battle-scenes are then described, both single combats (see p. 26 of this volume)

general engagements or melees (sankula-yuddham, tumula-yuddham), in which the

and

Kuru

party sometimes had the advantage.

Abhimanyu

A terrific

(son of Arjuna by Subhadra) was slain by the son of Duhs'asana (1940).

between Drona, Arjuna, and Krishna.

fight took place

were discharged on both sides

but Arjuna at

Then we have an account

that he could not contend against his old tutor (3250).

how Jayadratha was

by Kritavarman

by Arjuna (6275).

killed

Hundreds of arrows

from the contest, declaring

last retired

Hardikya), and was obliged to retire from the combat

(also called

Ghatotkacha (son of the Rakshasi Hidimba by Bhima) was put to

(7395).

and Karna,

in

flight

which the former

as a

Rakshasa assumed various forms (7995), but

filled the Pandavas with grief (8178), but

This disaster

slain (8104).

the fortunes of the day were retrieved by Dhrishtadyumna (son of Drupada),

fought with Drona, and succeeded in decapitating his

had

down

laid

killing a

his

lifeless

The

to heaven in a glittering

His translation to Brahmaloka was only witnessed by

persons (8865), and before leaving the earth he

son As'watthaman.

made

five

over his divine weapons to his

loss of their general caused the flight of the

whole Kuru

(8879).

The sage Narada, who

history of

Rama

is

introduced in this book, gives a short account of the

(2224), which

EIGHTH BOOK

or

is

more

fully detailed in the

KARNA-PARVA.This

is

Vana-parva (15913).

much

shorter

last,

but various single combats are again described with far too

The

grief of the

Karna

Kurus

at the death of

general, in his place,

A fight took
*

who

body, after Drona

arms and saved Dhrishtadyumna from the enormous crime of

Brahman and an Acharya, by transporting himself

shape like the sun (8861).

army

by

Afterwards occurred the great battle between Ghatotkacha

As'watthaman (7435).

was eventually

of

Yudhishthira had his armour pierced

Drona was profound

(52),

book than the

much

diffuseness.

but they appointed

and renewed the combat.

place between

Bhima and Karna

(2423), in which the latter

was struck

These dgneydstra were received by Drona from the son of Agni, who received them from

Drona's father, Bharadwaja.

See Johnson's Mah.*t-bh;trata Selections,

p. 1,

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAhX-BHA'rATA.

118
down

Karna, however, renewed the

but was rescued by Salya (2438).

senseless,

combat with Bhima, and a tremendous general engagement ensued, so that the

rivers

flowed with blood, and the field became covered with mutilated corpses (2550. 3899).

Again numbers of warriors bound themselves by oath (sansaptaka) to

and again were

defeated by

all

him (2608 and

4124).

An army

Duryodhana

barbarians with thirteen hundred elephants was sent by

Arjuna, but they were

all

and Bhima, remembering the

slain,

consequence (see

on the

p. 103, line 15 of this

is

next described, in which the latter

insult to Draupadi,

volume), cut

off his

and the vow he made

in

head, and drank his blood,

field of battle (4235).

Then occurred the

great conflict between

and stunned by an arrow thrown by

Kama

had not the wheel of Karna' s chariot come

and

attack

to

routed (4133).

The combat between Bhima and Duhsasana

was

slay Arjuna,

of Mlechchhas or

head was then shot

his

terror into the

off

Karna and Arjuna. Arjuna was wounded

and seemed

(4777),

His death struck

by one of Arjuna's arrows* (4798).

Kuru army, which

fled in

be defeated

likely to

This obliged Karna to leap down,

off.

dismay (4816), while Bhima and the Pandu

party raised a shout of triumph, which shook heaven and earth (4824).

NINTH BOOK

or

S'ALYA-PARVA.This book brings the principal details of

On the death of Karna, Salya, king of Madra, was

the great battles to a conclusion.

appointed to the
327).

command

were routed (188).

hear of

of the

Kuru army, then much reduced

general engagement (sankula-yuddham)

it

numbers

(9

and

Kripa advised making peace (228); but Duryodhana would not

We

(264).

in

described, in which the Kauravas

is

have then a description of Bhima's mace (577), and of the

combat between Salya and Bhima with

this

weapon, in which both were equally

matched (693; and see p. 25 of this volume).

between Salya and Yudhishthira. S'alya was

Afterwards a great battle took place

thaman
attack

(860),

at first aided

but was eventually killed (919).

made on

We

the Pandavas by Salwa, leader of a

mounted on a savage elephant

and rescued by Aswat-

have then an account of an

He was

band of Mlechchhas.

(1067), and the Pandavas gave way before the fury of

his attack (1074).

Dhrishtadyumna, however, stood firm, and meeting him,

his elephant with a

blow of

* This arrow

is

his club (1089).

called in the text

AnjaWca

head with an

The arrows used

Maha-bharata

(4788).

are of various kinds, some having crescent-shaped heads.

words

for arrow,

which occur constantly

It

may be

in the

useful to subjoin a

in the description of battles, as follows

ishu, sdyaka, patrin, kdnda, vi'sikha, ndrdcha, vipdtha, prishatJca, bhalla,

lance), salya (a dart), ishikd,

siUmukha.

killed

Satyaki then shot off his

tomara

list

of

Sara, vdna,
(a

kind of

NINTH BOOK OR s'ALYA-PARVA.

arrow* (1091), and the Pandavas

Again the Kuru

(1093).

Ill)

Kuru army was

rallying, the

was thrown into confusion by a storm of arrows discharged by Sakuni (121

this the

Kauravas suffered continual reverses

to flight,

broken

in its turn

temporary advantage, and the Pandu army

side gained a

one by one the chiefs were

and only Duryodhana remained on the

field (1582).

He

After

1).

slain or

put

rallied his scattered

which led to a complete rout and general slaughter, Duryo-

forces for a final charge,

dhana, As'watthaman (son of Drona), Kritavarman (also called Bhoja), and Kripa (see

Kuru army

note, p. 97) being the only chiefs of the

for his

own

on

safety, resolved

On foot, with

Nothing remained

left alive f.

Duryodhana, wounded, disheartened, and alarmed

of eleven whole armies (1581).

flight.

nothing but his mace, he took refuge in a lake, hiding himself under

the water, and then, by his magical power, solidifying and supporting

so as to

it

form

Here he

a chamber around him, and prevent others from entering J (i594- 1620).

was followed by the other three surviving Kuru heroes, who were informed of

They

hiding-place by Sanjaya.
(1692), declaring that
their enemies.

if

called

he would join them they would

The

latter

impossible to get at Duryodhana, were

(1749).

manliness

come out and renew the

to

still

came

recommended by Krishna

who gave

and finding

to the lake (1742),

you hide yourself

is

your pride

at the

a Kshatriya" (1774).

where your valour

bottom of a lake

where your

Rise up and fight

Duryodhana answered, that

that he was lying under the water,

it

skill in

is

your

arms, that

perform your duty as

was not from

and that he was ready to

it

to resort to stra-

Yudhishthira then commenced taunting Duryodhana, ""Wliere

where

his

fight

be more than a match for

Their colloquy was overheard by some hunters (1676),

information to the Pandavas.

tagem

upon him

fear,

fight

but fatigue,

them

He

all.

begged them, however, to go and take the kingdom, as he had no longer any pleasure
in

life,

last,

his brothers being killed.

Yudhishthira then continued his sarcasms,

till

at

thoroughly roused by his goading words (vdk-pratoda, 1853), Duryodhana rose

up out of the

lake, his

settled that a single

body streaming with blood and water (1865).

It

was then

combat on foot should take place between him and Bhima with

clubs.

AVhen Balarama heard that

*

The arrow was

of the

his

two pupils

(see p. 114,

kind called bhalla, see note to the

1.

20) were about to engage in

last page.

+ Sanjaya was taken by Dhrishtadyumna, and would have been

killed

had not Vyasa sud-

denly appeared and demanded that he should be dismissed unharmed (1605

p. 115,

1.

11

and compare

from bottom).

So I interpret astamhhayat toyam mdyayd (162 1) and vishtabhya apah sira-nuiyayd

(1680. 1739).

lake (1705).

Duryodhana

is

described as lying

down and

sleeping at the bottom of the

SUMMAEY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BH a'eATA.

120

conflict,

he determined to be present, that he might ensure

Before the fight,

fair play.

Krishna made another attempt to bring about a reconciliation.

He went

to.Hastina-

and had an interview with Dhritarashtra (1974), but returned re infectd.

A long episode is here inserted about the mdhdtmya, or efficacy of tirthas, and

pur,

especially of those
afflicted

The

on the sacred Saraswati (2006).

well as the celebrated legend of Vas'ishtha

The usual

spectators.

between Bhima and S'alya

matched

Then reminding him

him on the head with his

claring that

be given below the navel (3345).

all

He

lists

and

the other Pandavas sat

The

fight

was

him

At

last

to the

Bhima

struck

Duryodhana

ground (3292; and

see p. 28

of the insult received by Draupadi, he kicked

left foot (3313).

Bhima had fought unfairly;

follows the

(see the description of a similar fight

at p. 25 of this volume).

a blow on his thighs, broke them, and felled

of this volume).

Then

portents then occurred (3135).

tedious, the combatants being equally

Moon, who was

also told (2030), as

and Vis'wamitra (2296).

challenged each other, while Krishna, Balarama, and

round as

is

The two combatants entered the

description of the great gadd-yuddha.

him

story of the

with consumption, on account of the curse of Daksha,

it

Upon this Balarama

started

up

in anger, de-

being a rule in club-fights that no blow should

was, however, calmed by Krishna,

who informed

that the blow on the thighs was fated, being the consequence of a curse pronounced

on Bhima by Maitreya

in former days (3357).

This did not convince Balarama,

who

maintained that Bhima should ever after be called Jihma-yodhin (unfair-fighter), while

Duryodhana should always be

celebrated as Riju-yodhin (fair-fighter).

then returned to Dwaraka (3365

3370), and the Pandavas with Krishna entered the

camp

of Duryodhana, and took possession of

When

it

and

its

Balarama

treasures as victors (3492).

Arjuna and Krishna alighted from their chariot, the ape-emblazoned banner

vanished, and the chariot,

filled

with an internal

fire,

(caused by the dgneydstra of

Drona [Drona-parva, 3227], and only prevented from bursting

forth

by the presence of

Krishna), was suddenly reduced to ashes (3473).

The

five

Pandavas, with Satyaki (see note,

p.

in), by the advice of Krishna (who

was prescient of the coming night-attack), took up

the

bank

their

abode outside the camp, on

of a river (3498), and Yudhishthira, afraid of the wrath of Gandhari, (her

son having been vanquished by an unfair blow,) sent Krishna to Hastinapur to soothe
her (351 1).

Krishna did

so,

but foreseeing the treacherous attack about to be made

by Aswatthaman, returned suddenly (3573).

The book closes by an account of how the three surviving Kuru warriors (Aswatthaman, Kripa, and Kritavarman), hearing of the
place where he was lying.
still alive.

He

fall

of Duryodhana, hastened to the

There they found him weltering in his blood (3629), but

spake to them, told them not to grieve for him, and assured them that

he should die happy

in

having done his duty as a Kshatriya.

He

then told Kripa to

TENTH BOOK OB SAUPTIKA-PARY A.

TENTH BOOK

Duryodhana'

delayed.

is still

or

SAUPTIKA-PARVA. The

(As'watthaman, also called Drauni

called S'aradvata), leaving

still

Kuru

three surviving

Bhoja

Kritavarman, also called

Duryodhana

took refuge in a forest

battle-field,

and to inaugurate As'watthaman general (3666).

fetch a jar of water

death, however,

ll

warriors

and Kripa,

also

lingering alive with broken thighs on the

There, at night, they rested near a Xyagro-

(17).

dha-tree, where thousands of crows were roosting (36).

As'watthaman,

who

could

not sleep, saw an owl approach stealthily and destroy numbers of the sleeping crows

This suggested to him the idea of entering the camp of the Pandavas by night

(41).

and slaughtering them while asleep (supta

varman and

his uncle

deferring the attack

not rest

till

see p. 117,

(186).

1.

till

the morning (142).

who were both

But As'watthaman declared

Pandavas;
his

how

arms

Dhrishtadyumna had

(see p. 117,

had made use of S'ikhandin

(see p. 116, I.9;

unfairly struck

out for the

camp

glowing

1.

in his fight

Drona

killed

after the

latter

with Bhishma, and killed him by an

artifice

and compare Santi-parva, 1362); and how Duryodhana had been

down by Bhima

his progress

He then

in the single-combat with maces.

was arrested by an awful

like the sun, dressed in a tiger's skin,

figure,

who

(215).

is

set

At the gate

of

described as gigantic,

with long arms, and bracelets formed

This was the deity Siva t; and after a tremendous conflict with him,

appeared surrounded by multitudes of frightful

thaman was

could not be right

how Arjuna had taken advantage of

killed him (see p. 118, 1. 14); how Arjuna

Aswatthaman recognised the god and worshipped him

his

that he could

21);

Pandu camp, followed by Kripa and Kritavarman

of serpents.

appalled,

own person

who

men

Kripa answered, that to slaughter sleeping

20).

the accident to Karna's chariot, and so

altar

his project to Krita-

wean-, and recommended

he had avenged his father Drona by killing Dhrishtadyumna (167; and

down

laid

the

He communicated

*).

p. 97),

But As'watthaman reminded him of various instances of unfair fighting on the

part of the

had

Kripa (see note,

and

to appease

(251).

spirits

Mahadeva entered the

as an oblation thereon (306).

Suddenly a golden

and goblins (263)

fire

on the

As'wat-

altar, offering

This appears to have satisfied the god,

preserved his body from harm, and informed him that, having been formerly pro-

Hence the

adjective sauptika.

t The description of S'iva

in this passage is very remarkable.

Hundreds and thousands

Krishnas are said to be manifested from the light issuing from his person

(124).

of

names also are enumerated (252) as follows Vgra, Sthanu, S iva, Tim Ira. S 'an a,
IWara, Girisa, Varada, Deva, Bhava, BhaVana, S'itikantha. Aja. S'ukra Dakaha kratu-hani.

S'iva's

Hara, Yiswarupa. Viriipaksha, Bahun'ipa. Vmapati

It

122 SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHA'rATA.

pitiated

by Krishna

he

(313),

(S'iva)

had hitherto protected the family of Drupada,

but that their hour was now come, and he should defend them no more.

he entered the body of As'watthaman, which forthwith shone

rounded by attendant

spirits

and Rakshasas

brilliantly,

Upon

that

and was sur-

(318).

As'watthaman then directed Kripa and Kritavarman to stand

He

any of the Pandu army that attempted to escape (327).

at the

camp-gate and

made his way

who was lying there fast asleep.
Him he killed by stamping on him, declaring that one who had murdered his father
a Brahman and an Acharya was not worthy to die in any other way (342). As'watthaman then killed Uttamaujas when asleep (353), and afterwards Yudhamanyu (356),
and many other warriors who had no power to resist, believing themselves to be attacked
by a Rakshasa. The five sons of the Pandavas by Draupadi (see their names, second
note, p. 100), hearing of the death of Dhrishtadyumna, now attacked As'watthaman, and
were all successively killed by him (372 378). Next he killed S'ikhandin (383), the
kill

himself

alone and stealthily to the tent of Dhrishtadyumna,

whole family of Drupada, and hundreds of others, murdering and mutilating some

when

half-asleep

and others

as they attempted to

Such was the carnage that the

gate were slain by Kripa and Kritavarman (425).

ground was covered with thousands of dead bodies

Pandu army

(432),

and Rakshasas

After killing every one in the

devouring the mutilated corpses (452).

stroying the whole

Those who escaped by the

fly.

(the five

lying.

They found him

still

all

hearing this, revived a

Karna or Drona did

all

1.

his spirit rising to

As'watthaman

Duryodhana was

As'watthaman then announced to him that he was

now

the five Pandavas, Sa-

left (viz.

and gathered strength to

me what you

say,

Duryodhana
" Not even Bhishma or

have done, farewell

we

shall

heaven" (swasti prdpnuta bhadramvah swargenah sang amah punah).

chiefs, as

28),

the rest were slaughtered like cattle (531).

little,

for

de-

breathing (kinchit-prdna, 480), but weltering in his blood

avenged, as only seven of the Pandu army were

and Krishna*)

p. 120,

three proceeded to the spot where

and surrounded by beasts of prey.

tyaki,

about

Pandavas themselves with Satyaki and

Krishna excepted, they being stationed outside the camp, see

joined his comrades, and they

flitted

camp and

heaven and his body entering the ground (536).

morning dawned, returned to

their

own

city.

He

meet again

in

then expired

The

three

Kuru

Thus perished the armies of

both Kurus and Pandavas (540).

Meanwhile the charioteer of Dhrishtadyumna, who had by some means escaped

the slaughter, conveyed the news to the Pandavas.
it,

and of the death of

his

own

son, he

fell

down

When

to the camp, where the sight of their slaughtered kindred

To

Yudhishthira heard of

in a swoon.

They then proceeded

and army moved them

these should be added the charioteer of Dhrishtadyumna.

123

ELEVENTH BOOK OR STEl'-PABVA.

deeply.

Draupadi was sent

that she

made Bhima promise

He

jewel on his head.

for,

and was so

affected at the death of her rive sons,

to take revenge on As'watthaman

and bring her the

accordingly set out with the intention of killing him (602),

and was followed by his brothers and Krishna.

When

As'watthaman saw them

approaching, he hurled towards them a fearful arrow (ishika), called Brahma-siras,

which he had received from

Drona, and which would have burnt up the

his father

had not the

three worlds (669)

Rishis, Xarada,

They

and Vyasa interposed.

pre-

vented any further fighting, and settled the matter by requiring As'watthaman to
give

up the jewel on

which Bhima then made over to Draupadi (748).

his head,

book ends by Krishna's explaining to Yudhishthira the assistance that

rendered to As'watthaman in his night-attack (765).
account of the part which

Brahma wished

S'iva

The
had

Krishna also gave a curious

S'iva to take in the creation of all living

beings, and of the delay occasioned by a long penance performed by S'iva

immersed

water (770).

in

ELEVENTH BOOK

or

STRI- PARYA. Dhritarashtra was

so

overwhelmed

with grief for the death of his sons (194), that his father Vyasa appeared to him and
consoled him by pointing out that their fate was pre-destined, and that as mortals

they could not escape death (205

not to blame (228)

211).

He

also declared that the

Pandavas were

that Duryodhana, though born from Gandhari, was really a

partial incarnation of

Kali* (Kaler ansa, 223); and that he and his brothers had

perished through their

own

fault (dtmdparddhdt).

Vidura also comforted the king with

his usual sensible advice,

and recommended

that the preta-kdrydni (funeral ceremonies) should be performed (252).

tra

women

then ordered carriages to be prepared, and with the

On

of battle (269).

his

way he met

the three surviving

Kuru

Dhritarash-

proceeded to the

field

chiefs, Kripa, As'wat-

thaman, and Kritavarman, who informed him of their successful night-attack and
destruction of the

each other and

varman

thaman

The

Pandu army

made good

(also called

(300).

their escape

Then, leaving him, these three took leave of

;

Kripa taking refuge at Hastinapur, Krita-

Bhoja and Hardikya) returning to his own kingdom, and As'wat-

retiring to the hermitage of Vyasa.

five

Pandavas and Krishna now came to meet Dhritarashtra, who pretending

a return of affection for them, suddenly formed the resolution of revenging himself

on Bhima for killing Duryodhana unfairly.

He

first

embraced Yudhishthira very

warmly, and then requested that Bhima might come to him, his intention being to

hug him

like a bear

* So also S'akuni

is

and so squeeze him to death t; but Krishna, who foresaw

said to ho an incarnation of

t Dhritarashtra. though

blind,

was remarkable

Dwapara

Sunrgdrokamka-panfO,

for his strength

B06 note

*. p.

94.

his

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA-BHA'RATA.

124

design, quietly pushed

The

man's arms.

Bhima

aside,

and placed an iron image of Bhima in the blind

old king, hoping to demolish his victim

crushed the image to pieces, and

fell

by a tremendous embrace,

to the earth covered with his

immediately repenting of his treachery, he exclaimed, " Alas

consoled by Krishna,

who

own blood

then

Bhima " but was

!

explained that he had harmed no one except himself

(325342).
Dhritarashtra then became reconciled to the Pandavas, and presented them to

Gandhari

She, however, would have cursed

(360).

appeared and prevented her (366).

them had not Vyasa suddenly

Yudhishthira then expressed his anguish for

having participated in the slaughter of so

many

her curse, and had no desire either for

kingdom, or riches

that

became appeased.

life,

relatives, declared

he was worthy of

Gandhari upon

(408).

The Pandavas next embraced and comforted

their

mother

Pritha.

We have

afterwards a description of the wailings of the queen Gandhari, and the

other wives and

in sight

on the

women, over the bodies of the

field of battle (427

755).

slain heroes, as

one by one they came

Their lamentations resemble those of the

females over the fallen Rakshasas, in the Yuddha-kanda of the Ramayana.

In the Sraddha-parva (or upa-parva), at the end of the book, we have an account
of the funeral obsequies (srdddha) as performed at the

Dhaumya, Vidura, and

TWELFTH BOOK

of Yudhishthira

by

others (779.)

or

S'ANTI-PARVA,

the longest in the poem, but

last

command

is

i.

e.

chiefly episodical.

the book of Consolation.This

is

After the events recorded in the

book, Vyasa, Narada, Kanwa, and other Rishis presented themselves before

Yudhishthira and congratulated him on the conclusion of

hostilities

and

his acces-

sion to the throne.

Yudhishthira answered, " The whole earth has indeed been conquered through
reliance

on the power of Krishna, by the favour of the Brahmans, and by the might of

Bhima and

Arjuna, but deep grief abides in

have caused the destruction of

my

relatives.

my heart, that lust of dominion should

When I remember the slaughter of my

son Abhimanyu and of Draupadi's beloved children, this victory appears to

as a defeat" (13
desire to give

15).

He

up the kingdom gained

and the Rishis urged upon him

(1203).

me as bad

accordingly expressed his disgust with the world, and his

after so

much hard

fighting.

Upon

this

Vyasa

his duty, as a Kshatriya, of governing his subjects

Various stories are told and topics suggested for the tranquillising

(sdnti) of

his troubled spirit.

Yudhishthira then roused himself and determined to undertake his kingly duties.
H^e entered the city of Hastinapur in triumph,

accompanied by his brothers (1386).

TWELFTH BOOK OR SXNTI-PARVA.

All the streets were decorated

and Brahmans

offered

125

him congratulations, which he

acknowledged by distributing largesses among them (1410). One Brahman, however,

This turned out to be an impostor, a friend of Duryodhana

was an exception.

Rakshasa named Charvaka

who

Brahmans*. He was, however, soon detected

and uttering imprecations,

killed

him on the

and the

real

Brahmans,

had obtained from Brahma,

creatures

with fury

after practising aus-

as a boon, security against the attacks of all

but only on one condition,

filled

spot.

Krishna then explained, that in ancient times this Rakshasa,

terities,

mendicant reviled him and the

in the disguise of a

he should abstain from disrespect to

viz. that

Brahmans (1430 1442).

After this incident, Yudhishthira, seated on a golden throne (1443), was solemnly

inaugurated king, and

restless

Bhima was

and uneasy, and

for advice

his

mind

associated with
filled

him

as heir-apparent (1475).

Still

with doubt and anxiety, Yudhishthira wished

and instruction, and Krishna recommended him to apply to Bhishma (1574),

alive on the field of battle, reclining on his soldier's bed (vira-sayana j

who remained
see p. 116,

1.

19),

and surrounded by Vyasa, Narada, and other holy sages (1591).

Accordingly, Yudhishthira and his brothers, accompanied by Krishna, Kripa, and

others, set out for

Kurukshetra (1700), passing mutilated corpses,

armour, and other evidences of the fearful nature of the war.

of the slaughter caused by Parasu-Rama,

1805).

Part of

it

will

1 ),

cleared the earth thrice seven times of

be found translated in Wilson's Vishnu-Purana, p. 401.

They then approached Bhishma

181

lying on his couch of arrows (sara-sanstara-sdyinam,

and Krishna begged him to instruct Yudhishthira, and calm

Bhishma

sage advice (1843. 1861).

was too weak to

talk,

broken

His story was accordingly narrated to Yudhishthira

the Kshatriya caste (1707).

(1707

who

skulls,

This reminded Krishna

replied that, pierced as he

his spirit

and begged Krishna to excuse him (187 1).

removed the weakness and faintness caused by

his

by

his

was with arrows, he

Krishna then

wounds, and gave him super-

natural strength to speak.

The

discourses and episodes which occupy the remainder of this long

comprehended
kings.

(This

in three sections

commences

at

1.

extends only from 1995 to 4778.)

3.

The

2.

The A'pad-dharma-parva,

or rules of conduct

Moksha-dharma-parva, or rules

* See a full translation of this passage, and

some valuable remarks thereon,

vol.

XIX.

an interesting paper on the Charvakas

in the

paper on Indian Materialists, Asiatic Journal,

lately written

are

but the Raja-dharma, as enunciated by Bhishma,

6455).
The
emancipation (6457 13943).

in adversity (4779
final

1.

book

Raja-dharmanusasana-parva, or duties of

part

iii.

p. 299.

for obtaining

in Dr. J.

Muir's

Mr. Cowoll hae

Bengal Asiatic Society's Journal.

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA-BHARATA.

126

It is to

be observed, that Krishna, Narada, Vyasa, and other Rishis join in the

At

didactic discourses contained in the Santi-parva.

and

rules for expiation (prdyaschitta),

Some

avoid (bhakshydbhakshya).

Manu.

For instance, compare

Sandhi

is

is

very like the

or

Manu

we have some

1.

Many

II. 238.
;

and the

of the moral verses

fable of the three fishes

as long.

e.

i.

the book of Precepts.

Yudhishthira, looking at Bhishma's

body covered with arrows, and haunted by the remembrance of the

slaughter of his kindred, declared that his spirit was

still

He

to continue instructing him, in order that, purified

might be delivered

in the next world

The whole Parva

is

further discourses from

dharma, 2926

by

and much

tical questions.

far the longest,

Bhishma and

as soon as the

mind

of which the

first,

In this we have

7705.

city,

section

is

gifts

on various

social

(7694), wished to return to Hastinapur,

its

and

poli-

to do so, but requested

and under-

him

to revisit

northern path {uttardyana, 7702). Yudhishthira

accompanied by Krishna and the Rishis.

called the Swargarohanika-parva,

and describes Bhishma's

7796).

days in Hastinapur, con-

Yudhishthira dwelt

ciliating the affections of his subjects,

to

his soul

14).

wise axioms, moral and metaphysical dis-

Bhishma permitted him

ascension to heaven (7706

by

are told that Yudhishthira, prakritim dpannah, restored

sun had entered

then returned to the

slain heroes

1.

therefore begged

by precepts,

others on the duties of kings, liberality {ddna-

tales, legends,

At the end we

take the government.

The second

and extends to

really sensible, practical instruction

to his usual tranquil frame of

him

and

4812), rules about fasting (upavdsa-vidhi, 5133), rules about eating,

&c. (5594), mixed up with

quisitions,

guilt of blood (1

divided into two very unequal sections

is

or Anusasanika-parva,

from the

sufferings

untranquillised, in spite of

the soothing discourses and stories contained in the last book.

Bhishma

curious

4889.

ANUS'XSANA-PARVA,

and almost

last,

1241

of the precepts are either taken from or founded on

6071 with

founded on the story at

THIRTEENTH BOOK
This

1.

1393 rules for what to eat and what to

1.

be found in the Santi-parva

in the Hitopades'a will

in the

1.

at

fifty

and recompensing the wives and

families of the

and largesses (7710). Then, remembering his promise, he returned

Bhishma, accompanied by his brothers and by Krishna, Dhritarashtra, Vidura,

Gandhari, Pritha, &c.

We

have then a description of the

last scene in the life of

lying for fifty-eight nights on his spiky bed (7732).

bade them

farewell,

denly the arrows

Bhishma, who had been

Surrounded by his

and asked Krishna's leave to depart (7742

left his

body (7761),

his skull divided,

7751).

and his

meteor, ascended through the top of his head to the skies (7765)-

spirit,

relatives,

he

Then sudbright as a

They covered him

with garlands and perfumes, and carried him to the Ganges for the performance of

127

FOURTEENTH BOOK OR A'SWAMEDHIKA-PARVA.

The goddess

the last obsequies.

of the river raised herself from the water, and

bewailed her son in a mournful dirge (7780), but was comforted by Krishna (7788).

FOURTEENTH BOOK

ASWAMEDHIKA-PARVA. On

or

Bhishma, Yudhishthira was so overcome that he

Ganges, like an elephant pierced by a hunter

and the

to rouse him,

sacrifices, to fee

Vyasa

(22).

latter

(2).

recommended him,

Brahmans, to regale gods and

also

as a

fell

down on

calmed and

remedy

Then they

all

assumed the government

of

for his grief, to perform

with soma, to feast guests, &c.

pitris

encouraged him to turn his mind to

satisfied,

death

Dhritarashtra and Krishna tried

sacrificial acts,

of his advice related various stories, such as that of Marutta (65

legend of Indra and Vritra (299).

the

the bank of the

and

in support

290), and the old

returned to Hastinapur; Yudhishthira,

(359),

and prepared

Meanwhile Krishna and Arjuna took a tour together

(366),

for sacrificing.

and had a long con-

versation (407), in which the former entertained Arjuna with a variety of curious tra-

and introduced Brahmans,

ditions,

Rishis,

and

tives

and discoursed on mystical topics, such

gita,

which Arjuna had forgotten

dharma

(812).

&c. &c. (840).

They then

is

who

repeated legendary narra-

Bhagavad-

Thus we have a conversation about Moksha-

(823), the story of Arjuna-kartavirya

This long episode

Saints,

as those discussed before in the

and Parasu-Rama

called the

(817), that of Alarka,

Anugita (subsequent Gita).

rejoined the rest of the party at Hastinapur (1482),

and Krishna

after

remaining there a short time set out on his return to Dwaraka, accompanied by
Satyaki.

On

who

(1544),

way he was met by a

threatened to curse

race (1556).

and

his

him

certain

for

Muni

of great sanctity,

Krishna, however, averted the curse by explaining his

his identity with

named Utanka

having permitted the slaughter of the Kuru

own

divine nature,

Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and the whole universe (1576).

upon Utanka acknowledged the god, and requested him

divine form, which Krishna did (1597).

There-

to exhibit himself in his

Utanka' s story and his reason for wishing to

curse Krishna are then related, and his connection with the sage

Gautama and

Ahalya (1625).

On
father

his return to

Dwaraka, Krishna narrated the whole history of the war to

Vasudeva (1772).

Subhadra found

it

He

tried to conceal

his

from him the death of Abhimanyu, but

out (1890); and to soothe their grief, Krishna told them that Abhi-

manyu's wife (Uttara) should bring forth a child that should

rule the

whole earth

(1843. 1863).

We

have then an account of the preparations for the As'wamedha (1873).

Vyfaa

appeared at Hastinapur, and by his advice Yudhishthira did homage to S'iva and

Kuvera, and obtained great treasures, golden vessels, and implements of

(1922).

all

kinds

Krishna and Satyaki, accompanied by Balarama, Samba. Kritavarnmn,

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHA'-BHARATA.

128

Subhadra, and the Vrishnis, returned to Hastinapur to be present (1937).

Soon

afterwards was born (1943) Parikshit, the posthumous child of Abhimanyu (by Virata's

daughter Uttara) and the father of Janamejaya (the king to

is recited).

whom

the Maha-bharata

Parikshit was born dead (1944); but the corpse was taken to Krishna,

who pronounced some remarkable words

The preparation

over

it

(2026

2032) and brought

As'wamedha then commenced

for the

in earnest.

Yajaswa vdjimedhena vidhivad dakshindvatd, Aswamedho

in these words,

it

to

life.

Vyasa urged

it

hi rdjendra

pdvanah sarvapdpmandm Teneshtwd twam vipdpmd vai bhavitd ndtra sansayah (2070).
Yudhishthira requested Vyasa to consecrate him by the initiatory ceremonies {dikshd),

and

this

was done accordingly

p.

63 of this volume), was

over the earth for a year, and Arjuna was appointed to guard

Bhima and Nakula defended

horse as

it

battle, first,

The

time (2084. 21 10. 2620).

at the proper

according to the usual custom (see note,

it

let loose to

(2096

horse,

wander

2105), while

Arjuna had some trouble to defend the

the city (2108).

roamed about from one quarter of the compass to the other; and did
with the people of Trigarta (2142); then with Dhrita-varman (2157);

then with Vajradatta and his elephant (2175

2214);

then with the Saindhavas

(2222), to the great grief of Duhs'ala, daughter of Dhritarashtra (see p. 95,

this volume),

who

Babhru-vahana

at

tried to prevent the fighting (2275

Manipura (2303

2431

and

2290)

see p. 101,

1.

1.

23 of

then with his own son

12 of this volume); then

with Sahadeva's son Megha-sandhi (2436); then with Chitrangada at Das'arna (2471),

and with the Nishadas and Dravidas

the

West with

in the

the son of Sakuni (2483);

Dakshin or South country (2476); then

till

at last the horse ceased

from

its

in

wander-

ings and returned to Hastinapur (2510).

Then commenced the

The ground was duly measured out

sacrifice.

Brahmans

erected, posts fixed, houses for the

lastly,

an account of the ceremony

itself

built,

and the

&c. &c. (2521

(2521), sheds

2525).

largesses to the

We have,

Brahmans (2620

2683).

The remainder
vritti,

related

of this

book

is

taken up with the story of the Brahman Unchha-

by Nakula (2172).

FIFTEENTH BOOK

or

AS'RAMA-VASIKA-PARVA.This

books are comparatively short.

together for some time

and the remaining

The Pandavas and king Dhritarashtra

lived happily

Yudhishthira ruling the kingdom, though deference was

paid to the old blind monarch (60).

The

father, however, never forgave

and was always meditating

him

still

Bhima

for

Bhima,

also,

indulged resentful feelings against Dhritarashtra, and publicly insulted him (64).

At

having killed his son

last

evil against

(61).

the old king asked Yudhishthira' s leave to escape from the troubles of

retiring to the

woods

(97).

Yudhishthira at

first

refused, and

life

by

begged to be allowed

SIXTEENTH BOOK OR MAUSALA-PARVA.

12i?

In the end, however, by the advice

to go himself, leaving Dhritarashtra to rule (108).

of Vyasa (148), he gave his consent to the departure of Dhritarashtra,

upon proceeded

three of the Pandavas) accompanying

who

there-

Gandhari (428), Kunti also (the mother of

to the forest with his wife

them

They took up

(496).

abode

their

in a

hermitage, on the banks of the Ganges (510), where Vidura and others afterwards

They were

joined them.

Draupadi,

who were

by the Pandu princes and

also visited in their solitude

solicitous

While

about the welfare of their relatives (637).

resi-

dent in the woods, Vidura, by penance, devotion, and complete mental abstraction,
obtained release from his mortal body, and union with the supreme

Then Vyasa consoled

all

the warriors killed in the war, whose ghosts he called

Ganges

(874).

spirit (691. 941).

by a sight of

Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Kunti, and the others

up from the waters of the

After this the Pandavas, with Draupadi and their followers, returned

to Hastinapur (10 10).

Two

years passed away,

formed Yudhishthira of the

when one day

the sage Narada appeared (ion), and in-

fate of his relatives in the forest

how they had continued to

how

emaciate themselves by penance on the banks of the Ganges at Gangadwara; and

a forest conflagration (ddvdgni) arising, the old king and Gandhari and Kunti refused
to escape (1029).

They

sat

down and calmly awaited

the

fire,

persuading themselves

that by self-immolation they would secure heaven and felicity (1034).

and

rashtra' s charioteer) alone escaped,

The news

of this calamity affected the Pandavas deeply.

kingdom, and

tations, execrating themselves, their

Sanjaya (Dhrita-

Himavat, died there (1044).

retiring to

their

They broke out

into lamen-

hardly-won triumph (1050).

This prepares us for the final catastrophe in the seventeenth and eighteenth books.

SIXTEENTH BOOK

or

MAUSALA-PARVA. In this

is

narrated the death of

Krishna and Balarama, their return to heaven (261), the submergence of Dwaraka by
the sea (217), and the self-destruction of Krishna's family through the curse of

Brahmans. The curse

the race of Vrishni and

come

to

is

narrated, 15

21, thus

some

" One day Sarana and some others of

Andhaka saw Vis'wamitra, Kanwa, and Narada,

rich in penance,

Dwaraka. Influenced by destiny, they dressed up Samba (son of Krishna and

Jambavati) as a woman, and placing him in front, approached the sages, and said,
'This

is

the wife of the illustrious Babhru,

what offspring she

will

produce

?'

Then

who

desires a son.

Know

themselves insulted by the trick, answered in the following manner

the son and heir of Krishna, will produce a
of the race of Vrishni and

Andhaka

ye,

sages,

the munis, being thus addressed, and feeling

terrific iron

'
:

This Samba,

club (musala), for the destruction

with which you yourselves, while indulging your

wicked and cruel passions, shall exterminate your whole family, except only Balarama

and Krishna.

As

to the illustrious Balarama, abandoning his body, he shall enter

SUMMARY OF THE LEADING STORY OF THE MAHa'-BHA'rATA.

130

the ocean, and (the hunter) Jara (or

old-age') shall pierce the

magnanimous Krishna

"
while reclining on the ground.'

The working

of this curse

Vishnu-purana (Wilson,

ground

is

then described, and will be found also narrated in the

The

p. 606).

club was duly produced from

powder and thrown into the sea

to

the Purana, floated to land, and became grass.

none of the

citizens of

some

festival

proclamation was then made, that

But Krishna did not think

predetermined by destiny

(24).

Fearful

terrible disaster,

which took place by

fit

Krishna

One

(67).

varman

sat drinking together near

to kill the sleeping

quarrel, in

Krishna on one

Then Satyaki taunted Kritavarman

other (72).

thaman

side,

Andhakas and Yadavas

Balarama and Krita-

off

Satyaki and others on the

for his treachery in assisting As'wat-

Pandavas (74; and see

which Satyaki cut

what had been

day, at a great assembly or

at Prabhasa, the

the race of Krishna) indulged in the forbidden liquor (71).

(i.e.

or spirits, on pain of

to counteract

omens now occurred, and the sage Uddhava,

went away

desire of

Samba, but was

particles of dust, according to

Dwaraka should thenceforth drink wine

being impaled alive (30).

foreseeing

The

(28).

p. 122,

1.

This led to a

17).

Upon

Kritavarman's head.

that the

attacked and killed Satyaki (88), and the quarrel became general.
sons,

and sons fathers

became

infuriated,

Then

club (92).

Krishna

(95),

Among

Charudeshna, and Pradyumna, and the

grief

grass,

own

son and Satyaki dead,

which was turned to an enormous

and with these they slaughtered each other ;

but Krishna and Balarama.

come with

also, seeing his

the others also in their fury plucked the grass or rushes (erakd),

which turned to clubs

left

(97).

and plucked a handful of

Andhakas

Fathers killed

and vexation, sent

latter's

son Aniruddha (100).

his charioteer

Then, leaving Balarama standing under a

till

none were

the slain were Krishna's sons, Samba,

Daruka

tree near a

Krishna, over-

to inform the Pandavas.

wood, in profound abstraction,

Krishna went to his own father Vasudeva, and begged him to take care of

women

in

Dwaraka

until the arrival of

devote himself to penance along with Balarama for the rest of his
returning, however, he found Balarama expiring

mouth and

entering the ocean * (117).

on the ground

all

the

Arjuna; adding, that he (Krishna) intended to

a large serpent

life

(114).

coming out of

On
his

Soon afterwards, while Krishna was reclining

in deep meditation, a hunter

named Jara

[according to the Vishnu-

purana, his arrow was tipped with a piece of iron from a part of the club that had

not been reduced to powder] mistook him for game, and, shooting at his foot,
pierced the sole (126).

Krishna then abandoned his mortal body, and returned to

heaven (130).

When
*

Arjuna heard of

Balarama

is

this calamity

from Daruka he

set out for

Dwaraka, and

often regarded as an avatar of the great thousand-headed serpent Ananta.

SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH BOOKS, &C.

He

great was his grief at the sight of the slaughter.

Vasudeva

father,

(here called

Anakadundubhi),

whom

first

sought out Krishna's

he found distracted by sorrow.

Arjuna then told him of his intention to remove from Dwaraka

women, and

who were

children

left

alone (181).

He

131

all

the old men,

next searched for the bodies of

Krishna and Balarama, caused them to be burnt, and performed the usual funeral
rites (207, 208).

Arjuna then lodged for the night

in Krishna's house,

morning Vasudeva died (by self-immolation, according

his four wives (Devaki, Rohini, Bhadia,

body

Some

(194).

and Madira) burning themselves with

but Satyabhama and others retired to the woods

Arjuna then commenced removing

As they departed from Dwaraka

prastha.

On

their road to Indraprastha, they

(Pancha-nada, 221).
attracted

it

made

all

the surviving population to Indra-

became submerged by the ocean

(217).

a circuit and passed through the Panjab

Here they were attacked by a band of freebooters*, who were

by the sight of

warrior (224).

his

and

of Krishna's wires (viz. Rukmini, Gandhari, Haimavati,

Jambavati) also burnt themselves

(249).

and next

to the Vishnu-purana, p. 613),

so

many women and so much treasure defended by one

women as well as he could but to his astonish-

Arjuna protected the

ment found that he had lost his wonted vigour, and that even the arrows from
Gandiva failed to take their usual effect. As a last resource, he was obliged to strike
the robbers with the horn of his

succeeded in carrying

off

many

bow (238); but

women (239).

The remainder of the women, old men, and

some

at

they

spite of all his efforts,

in

of the

Martikavata in Kurukshetra, some

son of Krishna) as their ruler (245

children were established by Arjuna,

at Indraprastha, with Vajra (great grand-

248).

Arjuna then went to Vyasa, and related the story of his own defeat, attributing the
loss of his vigour to the death of Krishna,

(277).

bereaved of

Vyasa comforted him, declaring that

working of destiny (279

SEVENTEENTH
NIKA-PARVA

and

it

whom

did not

he did not wish to

become him

live

to grieve at the

290).

and EIGHTEENTH BOOKS, called MAHAPRASTHASWARGAROHANIKA-PARVA. In these we have the fine

description of the renunciation of their

kingdom by the

five

brothers,

and

their

journey towards Indra's heaven in mount Meru, which has been already given at
}).

2()

of this volume.

A'bklras,

who were shepherds and herdsmen

as \\<dl as marauders.

132

khila-harivans'a-parva,

KHILA-HARIVANS'A-PARVA,
Krishna and his family*.

i.

the supplementary book on the history of

e.

This supplement, which

is

a comparatively

modern addition

to the Maha-bharata, consists of no less than 16,374 verses, comprised in three subor-

The following

dinate parvas.

parva.

story of Piithu (283).

Yugas

An

account of the various

History of the solar race

(516).

Dhundumara

Story of

are the principal contents of the

description of the creation of the world

birth

and of

822).

The

The

(407)

and

of Vivaswat and his family (545).

Account of the birth of Sagara and others of the

chandra, son of Dasaratha (797

or Harivansa-

first,

creatures (27).

Manus and Manwantaras

Birth of Galava (728).

(690).

all

History of Tris'anku (749).

Rama-

solar family, including

creation of the Pitris, with allusions to

the sraddha ceremony, sacred to them, as related by

Bhishma while

reclining

on his

bed of arrows (845 ; and see p. 116 of this volume). History of the lunar race Atri,
Soma, Budha (131 2), Pururavas (1364). The family of Amavasu, son of Pururavas,

Gadhi (1429), Viswamitra (1457) and his son Sunahsephaf

Nahusha (1476), Yayati (1600).

The family

(1471)-

of

Line of Puru, son of

A'yus, son of Pururavas, viz.

Yayati, viz. Dushmanta, husband of S'akuntala and father of Bharata (1723), Aja-

midha

Santanu

(1756), Jarasandha (1811),

Pandu and

(1823),

Line of Yadu,

their sons (1826).

viz.

Vyasa

(1826), Dhritarashtra

and

Sahasrada (1843), Haihaya (1844),

Kanaka, Kritavirya, Kritavarman (1850), Arjuna, son of Kritavirya, and therefore

called Kartavirya (i852),Vrishni

Vasudeva, or Anakadundubhi
fourteen wives
(1950),

the

first

and Andhaka (1908), S'waphalka (1912), Sura (1922),

and

J,

his sister Pritha (1923

and best-loved of

whom

and the seventh Devaki, mother of Krishna (1953).

the jewel

Syamantaka

1928).

Vasudeva's

was Rohini, mother of Balarama

Krishna's acquisition of

Vishnu's manifestation of himself, and an account

(2068).

of his various incarnations (2200), with his destruction of various daityas or

demons

(22003179).
* Khila means any thing which

fills

up a hole or vacuum hence, a supplement.' This sup'

plement has been translated into French by M. Langlois, and the translation was published

by the Oriental Translation Committee.

+ This

agrees with the Vishnu-purana, which also

son of Viswamitra (Wilson,

Bralimanas, the son of Ajigarta

this volume, note

As

p. 404).
;

and

makes S'unahsephas the son

the author of various Suktas, he

in the Rainayana,

he

is

is

or adopted

called in the

the son of Richfka

see p. 66 of

||.

X So called because drums and tabors (dnaka, dundubhi) were heard

in the

sky at his

birth,

besides the ordinary portent of a shower of flowers.

An

Krishna.

account of this will be found

in

my

English-Sanskrit Dictionary, under the word

KH JLA-HAR1 VANS' A-PARVA.

The second,

133

or Vishnu-parva, gives a detailed biography of Krishna.

commences

It

with an account of the Asura Kansa (king of Mathura and brother of Devaki), and

young Krishna, by shutting up Devaki and

his efforts to destroy the

We

spring (3214).

have then

the well-known incidents in the

all

killing her off-

life

of Krishna,

beginning with his childhood, which are also detailed in the tenth book of the Bhagavat-purana, and

its

Hindi paraphrase, the Prem Sagar*, as well as in the

book of the Vishnu-purana (Wilson,

The

third, or Bhavishya-parva,

fifth

p. 491).

commences with an account of the future condition

of the world, and of the corruptions that would prevail during the Kali-yug f, especially at its close

purana (Wilson,

(n 132).

very similar description will be found in the Vishnu-

Among

p. 622).

other characteristics of the age, the distinctions of

and

caste were to be destroyed (11 133), the seasons were to be reversed (11 141),
infidel opinions

We have

were to be every where prevalent (11 176).

next a curious section called Paushkara (11 279).

In this

is

described the

production of the lotus (pushkara) out of the navel of Vishnu, while sleeping on the
waters,

and the development of the globe and

parts of the plant (1 1444

being seated in the middle of

The

all

material objects out of the various

11460), Brahma himself, with four faces and a white turban,

it

(11470).

Bhavishya-parva contains an account of the Varaha,

latter portion of the

Narasinha, and Vamana, incarnations of Vishnu (12278, &c), and of his journey
to Kailasa for the purpose of worshipping S'iva

The book

The

thought

summary

closes with a metrical

of

and performing penance (14393).

all

details will be

found in

my English-Sanskrit

worth while

to repeat

them

it

three parvas (16325

16356).

Dictionary, under Krishna.

have not

here.

f The Kali-yug was supposed to commence at the death of Krishna.

The events

of the

Mah<l-bharata must therefore have taken place during the third or Dwapara age, and those of
the

Ramayana

at the

end

of the second or

Act of the Mriehchhakati,

throws of dice

it is

Tret age.

From

the gambling scene in the Second

probable that the names of the four ages are connected with

Tretd being the throw of three, which was the second best throw, and DwtC-

para the throw of two, which was a worse throw, the worst throw of

all

The

being Kali.

Hindi! notion appears to have been that gambling prevailed especially in the Dwapara and

Kali yugas.

In the episode

personified Kali into

Nala

of

Nala, the personified Dwapara enters into the dice, and the

himself,

who

subject of the four yugas, see Muir's

and 460.

'

is

then seized with the

Sanskrit Texts,' vol.

fatal passion for play.

I. p.

57

On

Weber's Ind. Stud.

I.

the

286

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