Mahabharata - Ādi Parva (महाभारत - आदि पर्व)
01.055
Library: The story of Mahabharata summarized.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
gurave prāṅnamaskṛtya manobuddhisamādhibhiḥ। sampūjya ca dvijānsarvāṃstathānyānviduṣo janān ॥1-55-1॥
Having first saluted the teacher with mind, intellect, and concentration, and having worshipped all the twice-born and other wise people.
maharṣeḥ sarvalokeṣu viśrutasya asya dhīmataḥ। pravakṣyāmi mataṃ kṛtsnaṃ vyāsasya amitatejasaḥ ॥1-55-2॥
I shall narrate the entire opinion of the wise and renowned great sage Vyasa, who possesses immeasurable energy, known throughout all worlds.
śrotuṃ pātraṃ ca rājaṃstvaṃ prāpyemāṃ bhāratīṃ kathām। gurorvaktuṃ parispando mudā protsāhatīva mām ॥1-55-3॥
O King, you are worthy to hear this eloquent story. The impulse to speak, having been obtained from the teacher, encourages me with joy as if.
śṛṇu rājanyathā bhedaḥ kurupāṇḍavayorabhūt। rājyārthe dyūtasaṃbhūto vanavāsastathaiva ca ॥1-55-4॥
Listen, O king, to how the conflict between the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas began. It started with gambling for the kingdom and led to their exile.
yathā ca yuddham abhavat pṛthivīkṣayakārakam। tat te'haṃ sampravakṣyāmi pṛcchate bharatarṣabha ॥1-55-5॥
I will explain to you, O best of the Bharatas, how the war caused the destruction of the earth, as you are asking.
mṛte pitari te vīrā vanād etya svamandiram। nacirād iva vidvāṃso vede dhanuṣi cābhavan ॥1-55-6॥
Upon the death of your father, the heroes came back from the forest to their home. In no time, they became scholars in the Vedas and masters of archery.
tāṃs tathā rūpavīryaujaḥsampannān paurasaṃmatān। nāmṛṣyan kuravo dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavāñ śrīyaśobhṛtaḥ ॥1-55-7॥
The Kurus, upon seeing the Pandavas, who were endowed with beauty, valor, and energy and approved by the citizens, could not tolerate their glory.
tato duryodhanaḥ krūraḥ karṇaśca sahasaubalaḥ। teṣāṃ nigrahanirvāsānvividhāṃste samācaran ॥1-55-8॥
Then the cruel Duryodhana, along with Karna and Saubala, executed various punishments and exiles upon them.
dadāvatha viṣaṃ pāpo bhīmāya dhṛtarāṣṭrajaḥ। jarayāmāsa tadvīraḥ sahānnena vṛkodaraḥ ॥1-55-9॥
The wicked son of Dhritarashtra gave poison to Bhima, but the heroic Vrikodara digested it along with his food.
pramāṇakoṭyāṃ saṃsuptaṃ punarbaddhvā vṛkodaram। toyeṣu bhīmaṃ gaṅgāyāḥ prakṣipya puramāvrajat ॥1-55-10॥
After binding the sleeping Vrikodara (Bhima) once more, he threw him into the waters of the Ganges and returned to the city.
yadā prabuddhaḥ kaunteyastadā sañchidya bandhanam। udatiṣṭhanmahārāja bhīmaseno gatavyathaḥ ॥1-55-11॥
When Bhimasena, the son of Kunti, was awakened and freed from his bonds, he stood up without any distress, O great king.
āśīviṣaiḥ kṛṣṇasarpaiḥ suptaṃ cainamadaṃśayat. sarveṣvevāṅgadeśeṣu na mamāra ca śatruhā ॥1-55-12॥
The enemy killer, while sleeping, was bitten by venomous black serpents, but he did not die despite being bitten all over his body.
teṣāṃ tu viprakāreṣu teṣu teṣu mahāmatiḥ। mokṣaṇe pratighāte ca viduro'vahito'bhavat ॥1-55-13॥
Vidura, the great-minded one, became attentive to the disturbances and oppositions, focusing on liberation.
svargastho jīvalokasya yathā śakraḥ sukhāvahaḥ। pāṇḍavānāṃ tathā nityaṃ viduro'pi sukhāvahaḥ ॥1-55-14॥
Just as Indra, who resides in heaven, brings happiness to the world of the living, Vidura always brings happiness to the Pandavas.
yadā tu vividhopāyaiḥ saṁvṛtairvivṛtairapi। nāśaknodvinihantuṁ tāndaivabhāvyartharakṣitān ॥1-55-15॥
When he could not destroy them by any means, whether hidden or open, because they were protected by divine destiny.
tataḥ saṁmantrya sacivairvṛṣaduḥśāsanādibhiḥ| dhṛtarāṣṭramanujñāpya jātuṣaṁ gṛhamādiśat ॥1-55-16॥
After consulting with his ministers, including Vṛṣasena and Duḥśāsana, and obtaining Dhṛtarāṣṭra's permission, he ordered the construction of the lacquer house.
tatra tānvāsayāmāsa pāṇḍavānamitaujasaḥ। adāhayacca visrabdhānpāvakena punastadā ॥1-55-17॥
There, he settled the mighty Pāṇḍavas and once again burned the unsuspecting ones with fire.
vidurasyaiva vacanāt khanitrī vihitā tataḥ। mokṣayām āsa yogena te muktāḥ prādravan bhayāt ॥1-55-18॥
According to Vidura's advice, a digger was constructed. Through yoga, they were released and fled in fear.
tato mahāvane ghore hiḍimbaṃ nāma rākṣasam। bhīmaseno'vadhītkroddho bhuvi bhīmaparākramaḥ ॥1-55-19॥
In the dreadful great forest, the mighty Bhīmasena, in his anger, slew the demon Hiḍimba on the ground.
atha sandhāya te vīrā ekacakrāṃ vrajaṃstadā| brahmarūpadharā bhūtvā mātrā saha parantapāḥ ॥1-55-20॥
Then, those valiant ones, having made preparations, went to Ekacakra, assuming divine forms, along with their mother, the scorchers of foes.
tatra te brāhmaṇārthāya bakaṃ hatvā mahābalam। brāhmaṇaiḥ sahitā jagmuḥ pāñcālānāṃ puraṃ tataḥ ॥1-55-21॥
There, for the sake of the Brahmin, they killed the mighty Baka and then went with the Brahmins to the city of the Panchalas.
te tatra draupadīṃ labdhvā parisaṃvatsaroṣitāḥ| viditā hāstinapuraṃ pratyājagmurariṃdamāḥ ॥1-55-22॥
The subduers of enemies, having won Draupadī and stayed there for a year, returned to Hastinapura, known to all.
ta uktā dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa rājñā śāntanavena ca। bhrātṛbhirvigrahastāta kathaṃ vo na bhavediti ॥ asmābhiḥ khāṇḍavaprasathe yuṣmadvāso'nucintitaḥ ॥1-55-23॥
Dhritarashtra, the king, and Shantanu's son expressed their concern: 'Dear brothers, how can you avoid conflict?' We have thought about your dwelling in Khandavaprastha.
tasmājjānapadopetaṃ suvibhaktamahāpatham। vāsāya khāṇḍavaprasthaṃ vrajadhvaṃ gatamanyavaḥ ॥1-55-24॥
Therefore, with your minds resolved, proceed to Khandavaprastha, a place surrounded by settlements and well-laid roads, for your dwelling.
tayoste vacanājjagmuḥ saha sarvaiḥ suhṛjjanaiḥ| nagaraṃ khāṇḍavaprasthaṃ ratnānyādāya sarvaśaḥ ॥1-55-25॥
Following their advice, they, along with all their friends, went to the city of Khandavaprastha, taking all the jewels with them.
tatra te nyavasanrājansaṁvatsaragaṇānbahūn। vaśe śastrapratāpena kurvanto'nyānmahīkṣitaḥ ॥1-55-26॥
There, O king, they lived for many years, subjugating other kings through their martial prowess.
evaṃ dharmapradhānāste satyavrataparāyaṇāḥ। apramattotthitāḥ kṣāntāḥ pratapanto'hitāṃstadā ॥1-55-27॥
Thus, those who were chiefly devoted to dharma and dedicated to truth and vows, arose with vigilance and forgiveness, tormenting their enemies at that time.
ajayadbhīmasenastu diśaṃ prācīṃ mahābalaḥ। udīcīmarjuno vīraḥ pratīcīṃ nakulastathā ॥1-55-28॥
Bhimasena, the mighty warrior, conquered the east; Arjuna, the valiant hero, took the north; and Nakula, too, claimed victory in the west.
dakṣiṇāṃ sahadevastu vijigye paravīrahā। evaṃ cakrurimāṃ sarve vaśe kṛtsnāṃ vasundharām ॥1-55-29॥
Sahadeva, known for his prowess in defeating enemy warriors, successfully conquered the southern regions. In this way, they brought the entire earth under their control.
pañcabhiḥ sūryasaṅkāśaiḥ sūryeṇa ca virājatā। ṣaṭsūryevābabhau pṛthvī pāṇḍavaiḥ satyavikramaiḥ ॥1-55-30॥
The earth, adorned by the Pandavas of true valor, shone as if it had six suns, with the five sun-like Pandavas and the radiant sun.
tato nimitte kasmiṁścid dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। vanaṁ prasthāpayāmāsa bhrātaraṁ vai dhanañjayam ॥1-55-31॥
Then, for some reason, King Yudhishthira, known for his righteousness, sent his brother Arjuna to the forest.
sa vai saṃvatsaraṃ pūrṇaṃ māsaṃ caikaṃ vane'vasat. tato'gacchaddhṛṣīkeśaṃ dvāravatyāṃ kadācana ॥1-55-32॥
He lived in the forest for a full year and one month. Then, once upon a time, he went to Hṛṣīkeśa in Dvārakā.
labdhavāṃstatra bībhatsurbhāryāṃ rājīvalocanām। anujāṃ vāsudevasya subhadrāṃ bhadrabhāṣiṇīm ॥1-55-33॥
There, Bībhatsu married Subhadrā, the lotus-eyed sister of Vāsudeva, known for her auspicious speech.
sā śacīva mahendreṇa śrīḥ kṛṣṇeneva saṅgatā। subhadrā yuyuje prītā pāṇḍavenārjunena ha ॥1-55-34॥
Subhadrā, like Śacī with Indra and Śrī with Kṛṣṇa, was joyfully united with Arjuna, the Pāṇḍava.
atarpayacca kaunteyaḥ khāṇḍave havyavāhanam। bībhatsurvāsudevena sahito nṛpasattama ॥1-55-35॥
O best of kings, Arjuna, the son of Kunti, along with Vasudeva, satisfied the fire in the Khandava forest.
nātibhāro hi pārthasya keśavenābhavatsaha। vyavasāyasahāyasya viṣṇoḥ śatruvadheṣviva ॥1-55-36॥
The burden was not too heavy for Arjuna because he had Krishna by his side, just as Viṣṇu, with determination as his ally, was effective in vanquishing his enemies.
pārthāyāgnirdadau cāpi gāṇḍīvaṃ dhanuruttamam। iṣudhī cākṣayairbāṇai rathaṃ ca kapilakṣaṇam ॥1-55-37॥
Agni gave Arjuna the Gandiva bow, which is an excellent bow, along with quivers filled with inexhaustible arrows and a chariot drawn by tawny horses.
mokṣayāmāsa bībhatsurmayaṃ tatra mahāsuram। sa cakāra sabhāṃ divyāṃ sarvaratnasamācitām ॥1-55-38॥
Bibhatsu freed the great demon Maya there. He then constructed a divine assembly hall adorned with all kinds of jewels.
tasyāṃ duryodhano mando lobhaṃ cakre sudurmatiḥ। tato'kṣairvañcayitvā ca saubalena yudhiṣṭhiram ॥1-55-39॥
In that situation, the foolish and wicked-minded Duryodhana was overcome by greed. Then, with the help of Saubala, he deceitfully defeated Yudhishthira in a game of dice.
vanaṃ prasthāpayāmāsa sapta varṣāṇi pañca ca। ajñātamekaṃ rāṣṭre ca tathā varṣaṃ trayodaśam ॥1-55-40॥
He sent them to the forest for twelve years and kept them unknown in the kingdom for the thirteenth year.
tataś caturdaśe varṣe yācamānāḥ svakaṃ vasu। nālabhanta mahārāja tato yuddhamavartata ॥1-55-41॥
In the fourteenth year, when they begged for their own wealth and did not receive it, O great king, a war ensued.
tataste sarvamutsādya hatvā duryodhanaṃ nṛpam। rājyaṃ vidrutabhūyiṣṭhaṃ pratyapadyanta pāṇḍavāḥ ॥1-55-42॥
Then the Pandavas, after destroying everything and killing King Duryodhana, regained their scattered kingdom.
evametatpurāvṛttaṃ teṣāmakliṣṭakarmaṇām। bhedo rājyavināśaśca jayaśca jayatāṃ vara ॥1-55-43॥
In this way, this event occurred in the past to those who performed their duties tirelessly: there was division, the kingdom was destroyed, and victory was achieved, O best among the victorious.

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ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय। तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय। मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय। ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥ - बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् 1.3.28
"Ōm! Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, and from death to immortality. Let there be peace, peace, and peace. Ōm!" - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28

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