15.045
The section describing the arrival of Nārada.
Burning of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his party in the forest fire.
Vaiśampāyana said.
O king, when two years had passed among the Pāṇḍavas, the divine sage Nārada happened to come to Yudhiṣṭhira. (15-45-1)
Having worshipped him, the mighty-armed king of the Kurus, Yudhiṣṭhira, spoke to the one who was seated and fully trusting, being the best of speakers. (15-45-2)
Indeed, after a long time I see that the venerable one has arrived. O brāhmaṇa, I hope welfare or auspicious fortune has come to you. (15-45-3)
Which countries have you seen? What shall I do for you? Tell me that, O foremost of the twice-born, for you are a dear guest to us. (15-45-4)
Nārada said.
O king, I see you again after a long time; I have come from the ascetic grove. I have seen all the sacred places and the Ganga, O king. (15-45-5)
Yudhishthira said.
Men residing on the bank of the Ganga have told me today that the great-souled Dhritarashtra has undertaken supreme penance. (15-45-6)
Has that chief of the Kurus, whom you saw there, been well? And Gāndhārī, Pṛthā, the son of a charioteer, and Sañjaya? (15-45-7)
O venerable one, I wish to hear how my father, that king, is faring today, if the king has been seen by you. (15-45-8)
Nārada said.
O great king, after becoming steady, listen to everything just as it truly happened—as I heard and saw it in that sacred forest. (15-45-9)
O delight of the Kurus, when you all had returned from living in the forest, your father, the king, came from Kurukṣetra to Gaṅgādvāra to meet you. (15-45-10)
Accompanied by Gandhari, and wise, joined by his wife Kunti, along with Sanjaya the charioteer, as well as priests performing Agnihotra and Yajnas. (15-45-11)
Your father, the ascetic, undertook severe austerity; placing betel-nut in his mouth, the sage became one who lived only on air. (15-45-12)
He, a great ascetic, honored by all the sages in the forest, remained as only skin and bones and thus survived as king for six months. (15-45-13)
But Gandhari survived only on water, Kunti observed a fast for a month, and Sanjaya sustained himself with a meal on every sixth day, O Bhārata. (15-45-14)
O lord, the priests there offered oblations into the fires according to rule, both visible and invisible, in the forest belonging to that king. (15-45-15)
Then the king became homeless, living in the forest; the two queens and Sanjaya also accompanied and followed him. (15-45-16)
Sañjaya was the king’s leader in all situations, both even and uneven, while, O king, blameless Pṛthā was the eyes of Gandhari. (15-45-17)
Then, at some time, on the bank of the Gaṅgā, he, the best of kings and wise, having bathed in the Gaṅgā, proceeded towards the hermitage. (15-45-18)
Then the wind, having arisen, became a great forest fire; surrounding it on all sides, it burned the entire forest. (15-45-19)
While the herds of deer, the snakes on all sides, and the herds of boars were being burnt and seeking refuge, they entered the water bodies. (15-45-20)
In that forest, when the greatest calamity arrived, due to lack of food the king was barely breathing and powerless to move, and your two mothers were exceedingly thin and unable to depart. (15-45-21)
Then, the king, having seen the fire approaching from close by, said the following to his charioteer Sanjaya, O lord of the earth. (15-45-22)
Go, Sañjaya, to where the fire never burns you. Here, joined by fire, we will attain the highest state. (15-45-23)
Sañjaya, greatly troubled, the best among speakers, said to him: "O King, this undesired death will come to you because of a useless fire." (15-45-24)
And I do not see any means for the release of Jātavedas; whatever subsequent action is here, you are worthy to speak of that. (15-45-25)
After Sañjaya spoke thus, the king again said: "This death is not unwelcome to us who have left the house voluntarily." (15-45-26)
Water, fire, wind, or austerities are praised among ascetics; therefore, go, O Sañjaya, without delay. (15-45-27)
Thus, after speaking to Sañjaya, the king composed his mind, and then, facing east, sat down together with Gandhari and Kunti. (15-45-28)
Sañjaya, seeing him in that manner, then performed circumambulation. The wise man then spoke to him, "Yoke yourself, O lord." (15-45-29)
The wise son of the sage, that king, having spoken so, completely controlled his senses and then sat as if he were lifeless like a log of wood. (15-45-30)
Gāndhārī and the most fortunate Pṛthā, your mother, and also your father the king, were embraced by the wildfire. (15-45-31)
But Sañjaya, the high minister, was said to have gone towards the wildfire from there. I saw him on the bank of the Ganga, surrounded by ascetics. (15-45-32)
Having addressed them, the radiant Sañjaya, after reporting all this fully, departed as the charioteer towards Himavat, the great mountain. (15-45-33)
Thus, the Kuru king of great mind attained death; and Gāndhārī and Pṛthā, your two mothers, O ruler of men. (15-45-34)
O best of the Bharatas, by chance, as I was following, I saw the body of the king and both the queens. (15-45-35)
Then, in that forest of austerity, the ascetics gathered together; having heard thus of the king's conclusion, they did not grieve for him or his departure. (15-45-36)
O Pāṇḍava, there I heard all this, O best among men—how the king was burned and also those two queens. (15-45-37)
Do not mourn, O King; that lord of the earth did so of his own will. He has entered the fire—so too Gāndhārī, your mother. (15-45-38)
Vaiśampāyana said.
But having heard this, great grief arose in all the great-souled Pāṇḍavas at the departure of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. (15-45-39)
Then, O great king, a great cry of distress arose from the women of the inner apartments, and also from the townspeople, having heard the fate of the king. (15-45-40)
Ah! Fie! So the king, loudly crying out, greatly distressed, with raised arms, remembering his mother, Yudhishthira wept. His brothers, all of them headed by Bhimasena, also did so. (15-45-41)
O great king, at that time, a very great sound of weeping arose in the inner chambers when Kuntī had come and was heard. (15-45-42)
They all lamented the aged king who had been burnt and whose son was slain, as well as Gandhari, the ascetic. (15-45-43)
When that sound ceased, after a moment, as if, O Bhārata, having held back his tears with courage, King Yudhiṣṭhira spoke these words. (15-45-44)
