18.003
yudhiṣṭhirasvargarohaṇam
The ascent of Yudhishthira to heaven.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
sthite muhūrtaṃ pārthe tu dharmarāje yudhiṣṭhire। ājagmusta tra kauravya devāḥ śakrapurogamāḥ॥18-3-1॥
When the king of dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Pritha, was standing thus for a moment, then, O Kauravya, the gods led by Śakra arrived there. (18-3-1)
svayaṁ vigrahavān dharmo rājānaṁ prasamīkṣitum. tatrājagāma yatrāsau kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥18-3-2॥
Dharma, embodied in person, came there to examine the king—where the Kuru king Yudhishthira was. (18-3-2)
teṣu bhāsvaradeheṣu puṇyābhijanakarmasu। samāgateṣu deveṣu vyagamat tat tamo nṛpa ॥18-3-3॥
O king, when those gods—radiant in body and of meritorious birth and actions—had gathered together, that darkness disappeared. (18-3-3)
nādṛśyanta ca tāstatra yātanāḥ pāpakarminām। nadī vaitaraṇī caiva kūṭaśālmalinā saha ॥18-3-4॥
Those torments of evil-doers were not seen there, nor the river Vaitarani together with the thorny Shalmali tree. (18-3-4)
lohakumbhyaḥ śilāścaiva nādṛśyanta bhayānakāḥ। vikṛtāni śarīrāṇi yāni tatra samantataḥ ॥ dadarśa rājā kaunteyastānyadṛśyāni cābhavan ॥18-3-5॥
The king, the son of Kunti, saw all around iron pots, stones, and horrible deformed bodies—those things were not visible and became unseen to him. (18-3-5)
tato vāyuḥ sukhasparśaḥ puṇyagandhavahaḥ śivaḥ। vavau devasamīpasthaḥ śītalo'tīva bhārata॥18-3-6॥
Then, O Bhārata, a wind very cool, pleasant to the touch, carrying auspicious fragrance, and auspicious, blew near the gods. (18-3-6)
marutaḥ saha śakreṇa vasavaś cāśvinau saha| sādhyā rudrās tathā adityā ye ca anye api divaukasah ॥18-3-7॥
The Maruts along with Śakra, the Vasus, and the two Aśvins; the Sādhyas, Rudras, and also the Ādityas; and all other heavenly beings. (18-3-7)
sarve tatra samājagmuḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ। yatra rājā mahātejā dharmaputraḥ sthito'bhavat॥18-3-8॥
All the perfected beings and supreme sages assembled there, where the king of great splendor, the son of Dharma, was standing. (18-3-8)
tataḥ śakraḥ surapatiḥ śriyā paramayā yutaḥ। yudhiṣṭhiram uvāca idaṃ sāntvapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ ॥18-3-9॥
Then Śakra, the lord of the gods, resplendent with supreme glory, addressed these consoling words to Yudhishthira. (18-3-9)
yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho prītā devagaṇās tava। ehyehi puruṣavyāghra kṛtam etāvatā vibho॥ siddhiḥ prāptā tvayā rājan lokāś cāpy akṣayās tava॥18-3-10॥
Yudhishthira, O mighty-armed, the divine hosts are pleased with you. Come, come, O tiger among men—by this much, O lord, it is accomplished. O king, you have attained success, and the imperishable worlds are also yours. (18-3-10)
na ca manyus tvayā kāryaḥ śṛṇu ca idaṃ vaco mama। avaśyaṃ narakas tāta draṣṭavyaḥ sarvarājabhiḥ ॥18-3-11॥
You should not give way to anger; listen also to this speech of mine. Certainly, O dear one, hell is to be seen by all kings. (18-3-11)
śubhānāmaśubhānāṃ ca dvau rāśī puruṣarṣabha। yaḥ pūrvaṃ sukṛtaṃ bhuṅkte paścānnirayameti saḥ॥ pūrvaṃ narakabhāgyastu paścātsvargamupaiti saḥ॥18-3-12॥
O best of men, there are two kinds of destinies, auspicious and inauspicious; the one who first enjoys the fruits of good deeds later goes to hell, while the one who first experiences hell later attains heaven. (18-3-12)
bhūyiṣṭhaṃ pāpakarmā yaḥ sa pūrvaṃ svargamaśnute। tena tvamevaṃ gamito mayā śreyorthinā nṛpa ॥18-3-13॥
O king, especially it is the one of evil deeds who first attains heaven; thus, you have been sent by me, who seek your welfare. (18-3-13)
vyājena hi tvayā droṇa upacīrṇaḥ sutaṃ prati। vyājenaiva tato rājan darśito narakas tava ॥18-3-14॥
Indeed, by pretext, Droṇa was overthrown by you for the sake of your son. By that same pretext thereafter, O king, hell was shown to you. (18-3-14)
yathaiva tvaṁ tathā bhīmas tathā pārtho yamau tathā। draupadī ca tathā kṛṣṇā vyājena narakaṁ gatāḥ ॥18-3-15॥
Just as you, so Bhīma, Pārtha (Arjuna), the twins, and Draupadī (Kṛṣṇā) have gone to hell by pretext. (18-3-15)
āgaccha naraśārdūla muktās te caiva kilbiṣāt। svapakṣāś caiva ye tubhyaṃ pārthivā nihatā raṇe॥ sarve svargam anuprāptās tān paśya puruṣarṣabha॥18-3-16॥
Come, O tiger among men, your own people and the kings who were slain in battle for you have been freed from sin; all of them have attained heaven—see them, O bull among men. (18-3-16)
karṇaścaiva maheṣvāsaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ। sa gataḥ paramāṃ siddhiṃ yadarthaṃ paritapyase॥18-3-17॥
Karṇa, the great archer and the best among all bearers of weapons, has attained the supreme achievement for which you grieve. (18-3-17)
taṃ paśya puruṣavyāghram ādityatanayaṃ vibho। svasthānasthaṃ mahābāho jahi śokaṃ nararṣabha ॥18-3-18॥
O mighty one, see him, the tiger among men, the son of Āditya, standing in his own place. O long-armed bull among men, abandon grief. (18-3-18)
bhrātṝṁś cānyāṁs tathā paśya svapakṣāṁś caiva pārthivān। svaṁ svaṁ sthānam anuprāptān vyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ॥18-3-19॥
See, both brothers and others, as well as your own party and the kings, each having attained their own respective positions; let the fever of your mind be dispelled. (18-3-19)
anubhūya pūrvaṃ tvaṃ kṛcchram itaḥ prabhṛti kaurava। viharasva mayā sārdhaṃ gataśoko nirāmayaḥ ॥18-3-20॥
Now that you have experienced suffering in the past, O Kaurava, hereafter live happily with me, free from sorrow and free from illness. (18-3-20)
karmaṇāṃ tāta puṇyānāṃ jitānāṃ tapasā svayam. dānānāṃ ca mahābāho phalaṃ prāpnuhi pāṇḍava ॥18-3-21॥
O mighty-armed son of Pāṇḍu, O dear one, attain for yourself the fruit of virtuous actions and of gifts, which have been conquered by your own austerity. (18-3-21)
adya tvāṃ devagandharvā divyāś cāpsaraso divi। upasevantu kalyāṇaṃ virajombara-vāsasaḥ ॥18-3-22॥
Today, may the deva-gandharvas and the divine apsaras in heaven serve you with auspiciousness, they who wear garments spotless as the sky. (18-3-22)
rājasūyajitāṁllokānaśvamedhābhivardhitān। prāpnuhitvaṁmahābāhotapasaśca phalaṁ mahat ॥18-3-23॥
O mighty-armed one, attain the worlds won by the rājasūya sacrifice and increased by the aśvamedha, and also attain the great fruit of penance. (18-3-23)
uparyupari rājñāṁ hi tava lokā yudhiṣṭhira। hariścandrasamāḥ pārtha yeṣu tvaṁ vihariṣyasi॥18-3-24॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, higher and higher worlds among the kings, equal to Hariścandra, will be yours, O Partha, in which you shall enjoy. (18-3-24)
māndhātā yatra rājarṣir yatra rājā bhagīrathaḥ। dauḥṣantir yatra bharatas tatra tvaṃ vihariṣyasi ॥18-3-25॥
Where Mandhātā the royal sage, where king Bhagīratha, and where Bharata the descendent of Duṣyanta have been, there you will dwell. (18-3-25)
eṣā devanadī puṇyā pārtha trailokya-pāvanī । ākāśagaṅgā rājendra tatrāplutya gamiṣyasi ॥18-3-26॥
O son of Pritha, this divine and holy river—the purifier of the three worlds, the heavenly Ganga, O king—there, after bathing, you will go. (18-3-26)
atra snātasya te bhāvo mānuṣo vigamiṣyati. gataśoko nirāyāso muktavairo bhaviṣyasi ॥18-3-27॥
Here, when you have bathed, your human condition will leave you. With sorrow gone, free from toil, and rid of enmity, you will become. (18-3-27)
evaṃ bruvati devendre kauravendraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram। dharmo vigrahavānsākṣāduvāca sutamātmanaḥ ॥18-3-28॥
While the lord of the gods was thus speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira, king of the Kauravas, Dharma himself, having assumed a bodily form, directly addressed his own son. (18-3-28)
bho bho rājan-mahāprājña prīto'smi tava putraka। madbhaktyā satyavākyena kṣamayā ca damena ca ॥18-3-29॥
O O king, most wise, I am pleased with you, child, because of my devotion, truthfulness, forgiveness, and self-restraint. (18-3-29)
eṣā tṛtīyā jijñāsā tava rājan kṛtā mayā। na śakyase cālayituṃ svabhāvāt pārtha hetubhiḥ॥18-3-30॥
This is the third question of yours, O king, which I have made. By your nature, O Pārtha, you are not able to mislead me by giving reasons. (18-3-30)
pūrvaṃ parīkṣito hi tvam āsīr dvaitavanaṃ prati. araṇī-sahitasya arthe tac ca nistīrṇavān asi ॥18-3-31॥
Formerly, you were indeed tested when you went to Dvaitavana; for the purpose of carrying the arani fire-sticks, even that you have accomplished. (18-3-31)
sodaryeṣu vinaṣṭeṣu draupadyāṃ tatra bhārata। śvarūpadhāriṇā putra punastvaṃ me parīkṣitaḥ॥18-3-32॥
O Bhārata, when your own brothers had perished with Draupadī there, my son, by one assuming the form of a corpse, you were, once again, my Parīkṣita (the tested one, i.e., Parikshit). (18-3-32)
idaṃ tṛtīyaṃ bhrātṝṇām arthe yat sthātum icchasi। viśuddho 'si mahābhāga sukhī vigatakalmaṣaḥ ॥18-3-33॥
You wish to stand for this third cause for the sake of the brothers. You are pure, O greatly fortunate one, happy and free from impurity. (18-3-33)
na ca te bhrātaraḥ pārtha narakasthā viśāṃ pate. māyaiṣā devarājena mahendreṇa prayojitā ॥18-3-34॥
O Pārtha, your brothers are not in hell, O lord of the people. This is an illusion created by the king of the gods, Mahendra (Indra). (18-3-34)
avaśyaṁ narakastāta draṣṭavyaḥ sarvarājabhiḥ। tatastvayā prāptamidaṁ muhūrtaṁ duḥkhamuttamam॥18-3-35॥
Certainly, dear father, hell is to be witnessed by all kings; therefore, you have now experienced the greatest suffering for a moment. (18-3-35)
na savyasācī bhīmo vā yamau vā puruṣarṣabhau। karṇo vā satyavākśūro narakārhāś-ciraṃ nṛpa ॥18-3-36॥
O king, neither Savyasācī (Arjuna), nor Bhīma, nor the two sons of Yama, nor the foremost men, nor Karṇa, the valiant speaker of truth, are truly deserving of hell for long. (18-3-36)
na kṛṣṇā rājaputrī ca narakārhā yudhiṣṭhira। ehy-ehi bharataśreṣṭha paśya gaṅgāṃ trilokagām ॥18-3-37॥
Kṛṣṇā, the princess, is not deserving of hell, O Yudhiṣṭhira! Come, come, best of the Bharatas, behold the Gaṅgā who traverses the three worlds. (18-3-37)
evam-uktaḥ sa rājarṣiḥ tava pūrva-pitāmahaḥ। jagāma saha dharmeṇa sarvaiś ca tridaśālayaiḥ॥18-3-38॥
Having thus been addressed, your former great-grandfather, the royal sage, went together with righteousness and all the dwellers of the abode of the gods. (18-3-38)
gaṅgāṁ devanadīṁ puṇyāṁ pāvanīm ṛṣi-samstutām। avagāhya tu tāṁ rājā tanuṁ tatyāja mānuṣīm॥18-3-39॥
After immersing himself in the Gaṅgā—the divine, holy, purifying river praised by sages—the king left his human body. (18-3-39)
tato divya-vapur-bhūtvā dharma-rājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। nirvairo gata-santāpo jale tasmin samāplutaḥ॥18-3-40॥
Then Yudhishthira, the king of dharma, having assumed a divine body, free from enmity and with his sorrow gone, was completely immersed in that water. (18-3-40)
tato yayau vṛto devaiḥ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। dharmeṇa sahito dhīmāns tūyamāno maharṣibhiḥ ॥18-3-41॥
Then the Kuru king Yudhiṣṭhira, accompanied by the gods and virtue, wise and being praised by the great sages, went onward. (18-3-41)
