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Core and Pancharatra: When further enquired, Vyasa advised Yudhishthira to ask Bhishma, who is most knowledgeable on the subject. The son of Pāṇḍu, surrounded by friends and praised with auspicious words, entered the city.
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
O revered one, I wish to hear in detail from you, O great sage, about the duties of kings, O best of the twice-born, and all the duties of the four classes.
In times of calamity, how should a king establish policy and, relying on the righteous path, conquer the earth?
This story of expiation, indeed, expanded by the discussion of what is edible and inedible, and inclined towards curiosity, seems to produce joy in me.
The pursuit of dharma and the responsibilities of ruling are always in conflict; this is what constantly confuses my mind as I reflect upon it.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Vyāsa, the great-brilliant sage and foremost among the knowers of the Veda, having looked upon Nārada and knowing all that is ancient, spoke to him.
O Yudhiṣṭhira, if you wish to learn all the dharmas in their entirety, go to Bhīṣma, the mighty-armed and aged grandsire of the Kurus.
He, Bhāgīrathī's son, who is all-knowing and knower of all dharmas, will remove all the doubts that are situated in your mind regarding all secrets.
The goddess, the divine river Ganga, gave birth to him, who directly saw all the gods led by Indra.
The lord, having repeatedly pleased Bṛhaspati and the divine sages with respect, studied political science.
O best of the Kurus, Uśanas, the preceptor of gods and asuras, who is twice-born, knows that treatise and has obtained all of it with its explanation.
The great intellect received the Vedas, complete with their supplementary limbs, from Bhārgava, Cyavana, Vasiṣṭha, and the one of controlled vows.
He who, in ancient times, instructed the eldest prince, the son of the grandfather, endowed with blazing splendor and knowledge of the truth of the path of the self.
He learned the complete duties of an ascetic from Markandeya, and, O best of the Bharatas, he received weapons from Rama and Indra.
It is heard that among men, death by one's own wish occurs; likewise, for one who is childless but virtuous, the worlds of merit in heaven are spoken of.
In whose assembly the pure brahma-ṛṣis always resided, and for whom nothing remains unknown among knowledge and knowables.
He, who knows the essence of subtle dharma and artha, will explain it to you. Go to him before he, the knower of dharma, passes away.
Thus addressed, the wise and illustrious son of Kunti spoke to Vyāsa, the best among speakers and son of Satyavatī.
Having perpetrated a tremendous massacre that horrified his kinsmen, he became a sinner in the eyes of all worlds and the cause of the earth's destruction.
By what reason am I worthy to approach him, having caused only him, who fights honestly, to be killed in battle by deceit?
Then the mighty-armed, illustrious best of the Yadus, again addressed that foremost of kings, wishing for the welfare of the four orders.
Now, you should not persist excessively in grief here. Do what the venerable Vyāsa has said, O best of kings.
Brāhmaṇas and your powerful brothers, O mighty-armed one, worship you with hope, just as those suffering from heat long for the rain-cloud.
O great king, the surviving kings and the entire assembled fourfold society—your kingdom is the Kuru-jāṅgala.
Even for the sake of affection for these Brāhmaṇas of great soul, and by the command of the teacher Vyāsa of immeasurable brilliance.
O Parantapa, do what is pleasing to your friends, to us, and to Draupadī, and also act for the welfare of the people, O destroyer of enemies.
When Kṛṣṇa had spoken thus, the lotus-eyed king, the great ascetic, arose for the welfare of all beings.
He, the tiger among men, was persuaded by Viṣṭaraśravas himself, as well as by Dvaipāyana, Devasthāna, and Jiṣṇu (Arjuna).
Consoled by these and many others, Yudhishthira, the great-minded, abandoned his mental sorrow and affliction.
O son of Pāṇḍu, who is renowned for his words, a treasure of knowledge, and an expert in all that is heard and to be heard, having resolved in his mind, attained peace.
He, surrounded by them like the moon by stars, entered his own city with Dhritarashtra at the forefront.
Desiring to enter, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti and knower of dharma, worshipped the gods and thousands of Brahmanas.
Then there appeared a new, bright chariot, covered with blankets and animal skins, yoked with sixteen white bulls of auspicious marks.
Worshipped with hymns and praised by the meritorious and great sages, he ascended just as the god Soma ascends his chariot of nectar.
Bhima, the mighty son of Kunti, took hold of the reins, while Arjuna held aloft the shining white umbrella.
But that white umbrella, held above his head, shone like a cloud illuminated by the moon, the king of stars, in the sky.
At that time, the two heroes held yak-tail fans for him; the son of Mādrī, adorned and bright as moonbeams, was present.
O king, then those five well-adorned brothers, having mounted the chariot, appeared as if they were all beings themselves.
But, O king, desiring battle, he mounted his white chariot yoked with swift horses and followed the eldest of the Pāṇḍavas from behind.
Kṛṣṇa, along with Sātyaki, mounted the bright golden chariot yoked by the army-chief and advanced towards the Kurus.
O Bhārata, the eldest, the father of Pārtha, went ahead of Dharmarāja in a chariot, accompanied by Gāndhārī.
All the Kuru women, including Kuntī, Kṛṣṇā, and Draupadī, proceeded in various vehicles, with Vidura leading them.
Then, well-adorned chariots, numerous elephants, foot-soldiers, and horses followed together from behind.
Then, as he was praised with eloquent words by bards, charioteers, and Māgadhas, the king proceeded to the city called Nāgasāhvaya.
The departure of the mighty-armed was unmatched on earth, filled with great commotion, as it was left behind and accompanied by joyful and robust people.
But during Pārtha's expedition, the city and the royal road were properly and splendidly decorated by the city-dwellers and other men.
The royal road was covered with white decorations and garlands, adorned with flags and altars, and was well-perfumed with incense.
Then, the area was adorned with powders, fragrances, various flowers, Priyangu flowers, and garland-strings, and was enclosed by royal mansions.
Water-pots filled with water, firm and new, were placed at the city gate; maidens, flowers, and goats were also stationed here and there.
Thus, the son of Pāṇḍu, surrounded by friends and praised with auspicious words, entered the city whose gate was beautifully adorned.
