17.001
The Book of the Great Departure
Departure of the Pāṇḍavas;
Janamejaya said.
Thus, after hearing of the Mausala battle in the Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka families and after Kṛṣṇa had departed to heaven, what did the Pāṇḍavas do? (17-1-1)
Vaiśampāyana said.
As soon as he heard of the great slaughter of the Vṛṣṇis, the Kaurava king, setting his mind on departure, spoke to Arjuna as follows. (17-1-2)
O great-minded one, time matures all beings. I consider that you also ought to see the cessation of action. (17-1-3)
Thus addressed, the mighty son of Kunti, speaking "Time, Time", followed the command of his elder brother. (17-1-4)
Having understood Arjuna's opinion, Bhīmasena and the twin sons of Yama likewise followed the statement made by Savyasācin (Arjuna). (17-1-5)
Then Yudhiṣṭhira, desiring dharma and departing, handed over the entire kingdom to Yuyutsu, the son of a Vaiśya. (17-1-6)
But after anointing King Parīkṣit in his own kingdom, the eldest of the Pāṇḍavas, afflicted by sorrow, spoke to Subhadrā. (17-1-7)
This son of your son will be the king of the Kurus. Of the Yadus, the remnant Vajra has indeed been made king. (17-1-8)
Let Parikṣit remain in Hāstinapura, and the Yādava (Vajra) in Śakraprastha. You must protect King Vajra, and do not let your mind incline to unrighteousness. (17-1-9)
Having thus spoken, King Yudhiṣṭhira addressed wise Vāsudeva, his maternal uncle, the elder, and Rāma and the others in the same way. (17-1-10)
At that time, the righteous-souled one, together with his mothers and without fatigue, performed all the funeral offerings, having previously conducted the water rituals, all according to proper rules. (17-1-11)
He gave gems, garments, villages, horses, and chariots; also women and hundreds of thousands of cows to the foremost of the twice-born. (17-1-12)
The best of the Bharatas, having worshipped Kṛpa as the honored teacher with due respect, gave the tested disciple to him. (17-1-13)
Then Yudhishthira gathered all the nobles, and the royal sage explained to them all that he himself intended to do. (17-1-14)
When they heard his words, the citizens and the people of the country, greatly disturbed in mind, did not welcome those words. (17-1-15)
“It should not be done this way”—thus they said that to the king; and the king, being aware of the duties appropriate to time, did not act in that manner. (17-1-16)
Then, having informed the citizens and country people, the righteous one made the decision to depart, and his brothers did likewise at that time. (17-1-17)
Then King Yudhishthira, the Kaurava and son of Dharma, removed the ornaments from his body and took up bark garments. (17-1-18)
Bhīma and Arjuna, the twins, and Draupadī the renowned, and in the same way all the others took up the bark-cloth, O ruler of men. (17-1-19)
O foremost of the Bharatas, after duly performing the naishṭhika sacrifice and consigning all the sacrificial fires to the waters, all the best of men set forth. (17-1-20)
Then, seeing the six heroes of Draupadī departing, all the women wept aloud, just as they had before when those heroes were defeated in gambling. (17-1-21)
Joy arose among all the brothers regarding the departure, as they had come to know Yudhishthira’s decision and had observed the destruction of the Vrsni clan. (17-1-22)
The five brothers, Kṛṣṇā as the sixth, and the dog as the seventh, thus, with himself as the seventh, the king departed from Gajasāhvaya (Hastināpura). He was followed for a long distance by the townspeople, and by all the women of the inner palace as well. (17-1-23)
And no one was able to say to him, 'Turn back.' Then all the men of the city turned back. (17-1-24)
Kṛpa and the rest, indeed, surrounded Yuyutsu, while Ulūpī, the daughter of the Nāga, entered the Gaṅgā river, O descendant of Kuru. (17-1-25)
Citrāṅgadā also went to the city of Maṇipūra, while the other mothers, along with the rest, surrounded Parikṣit. (17-1-26)
The Pāṇḍavas, along with the great-souled Draupadī, after performing their fast, O son of Kuru, set out facing east at that time. (17-1-27)
Endowed with yoga, those great souls, having taken up the principle of renunciation, journeyed to many lands, rivers, and mountains. (17-1-28)
Yudhiṣṭhira went in front, Bhīma immediately after him, Arjuna just after Bhīma, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) followed, each in due order. (17-1-29)
But Draupadī, who had excellent hips, dark complexion, and eyes like lotus petals, and who was the best among women, followed from behind, O best of the Bharatas. (17-1-30)
A dog also indeed, alone, followed the Pāṇḍavas as they set out into the forest. One by one, those heroes went to the ocean of water named Lauhitya. (17-1-31)
O great king, Dhanañjaya did not let go of Gāṇḍīva and the divine bow; moved by the desire for jewels, those two great archers remained inexhaustible. (17-1-32)
There, they saw fire standing before them like a mountain, blocking the path, manifest in a human form. (17-1-33)
Then the god with seven flames spoke to the Pāṇḍavas: "O sons of Pāṇḍu, O heroes, know me as Fire." (17-1-34)
Yudhishthira, O mighty-armed one; Bhimasena, O subduer of foes; Arjuna and the sons of Ashvi, heroes, listen to my words. (17-1-35)
O best of the Kurus, I am Agni; Khandava was burnt by me, by the power of Arjuna and also of Narayana. (17-1-36)
This Phalguna, your brother, having abandoned the supreme weapon Gāṇḍīva, should go to the forest; there is no purpose served by him here. (17-1-37)
But the discus-jewel, which was with Kṛṣṇa, the great soul, that has departed, will again in time come into his hand indeed. (17-1-38)
This Gāṇḍīva, the best of bows, which was formerly brought by me from Varuṇa for the sake of Pārtha, should now indeed be given to Varuṇa. (17-1-39)
Then all the brothers urged Dhanañjaya, and he threw that into the water, namely the two inexhaustible great bows. (17-1-40)
Then, O best of the Bharatas, the fire disappeared right there. And the heroic Pāṇḍavas then proceeded facing south. (17-1-41)
Then, O Bharata, tiger among men, they proceeded along the northern shore of the salty sea in the southwest direction. (17-1-42)
Then again, as they returned towards the west, they saw that Dvārakā too had been submerged by the ocean. (17-1-43)
Having turned back towards the north, the best of the Bharatas, endowed with the virtue of yoga, proceeded, wishing to circumambulate the earth. (17-1-44)
