106. YUDHISHTHIRA'S FINAL TRIAL :

To Hastinapura came the sad tidings of
the death of Vasudeva and the destruction
of the Yadavas. When the Pandavas
received the news, they lost all remaining
attachment to life on earth.



They crowned Parikshit, son
ofAbhimanyu, as emperor and the five
brothers left the city with Draupadi. They
went out on a pilgrimage, visiting holy
places and finally reached the Himalayas.
A dog joined them somewhere and kept
them company all along. And the seven of
them climbed the mountain on their last
pilgrimage. As they toiled up the
mountain path one by one fell exhausted
and died.



The youngest succumbed first. Draupadi,
Sahadeva and Nakula were released from
the burden of the flesh one after another.
Then followed Arjuna and then great
Bhima too.



Yudhishthira saw his dear ones fall and
die. Yet, serenely he went on not giving
way to grief, for the light of Truth burned
bright before him. Yudhishthira knew
what was shadow and what was
substance.



The dog still followed Yudhishthira. The
lesson enforced by the poet in this episode
of the dog is that dharma is the only
constant companion in life's journey.
It was dharma who, in the shape of the
dog, followed Yudhishthira up the
wearisome mountain path, when his
brothers and wife had gone leaving him
alone.



Finally, when he reached a great height,
Indra appeared in his chariot.



"Your brothers and Draupadi have arrived
before you. You have lagged behind,
burdened with your body. Ascend my
chariot and go with me in the flesh. I have
come to take you," said Indra. But when
Yudhishthira went up to take his seat in
Indra's chariot, the dog also climbed up.
"No, no," said Indra. "There is no place
for dogs in swarga," and pushed the dog
away.



"Then there is no room for me either,"
said Yudhishthira, and refused to enter the
heavenly chariot if he had to leave his
faithful companion behind.



Dharma had come to test Yudhishthira's
loyalty and he was pleased with his son's
conduct. The dog vanished from sight.
Yudhishthira reached swarga. There, he
saw Duryodhana.



The Kuru prince was seated on a beautiful
throne and he shone with the splendor of
the sun and around him stood in
attendance the goddess of heroism and
other angels. He did not see his brothers
or anyone else. Yudhishthira was
astonished.



"Where are my brothers, ye denizens of
swarga?" asked Yudhishthira. "This man
of greed, of limited vision, is here. I do
not care to spend my time in his company.
We were driven by this man's envy and
spite to kill friends and relatives. We
stood tied by dharma to inaction when,
before our eyes, innocent Panchali, united
to us in sacred wedlock, was dragged to
the Hall of the Assembly and insulted
under the orders of this wicked man. I
cannot bear the sight of this man. Tell me,
where are my brothers? I wish to go
where they are." Saying this Yudhishthira
averted his eyes from where Duryodhana
was seated in glory.



Then Narada, the heavenly rishi of
encyclopedic knowledge, smiled
disapprovingly at Yudhishthira and said:
"Renowned prince, this is not right. In
swarga, we harbor no ill will. Do not
speak in this manner about Duryodhana.
The brave Duryodhana has attained his
present state by force of kshatriya dharma.
It is not right to let the things of the flesh
stay in the mind and breed ill will. Do
follow the law and stay here with king
Duryodhana. There is no place in swarga
for hatred. You have arrived here with
your human body; so it is that you have
these inappropriate feelings. Discard
them, son!"



Yudhishthira replied:
"O sage, Duryodhana, who did not know
right from wrong, who was a sinner, who
caused suffering to good men, who fed
enmity and anger and who brought death
to countless men, has attained this swarga
of warriors. Where is that region of
greater glory, which must be the abode of
my brave and good brothers and
Draupadi? I am eager to see them and
Karna, and also all the friends and princes
who gave up their lives in battle for me. I
do not see them here. I desire to meet
again Virata, Drupada, Dhrishtaketu and
Sikhandin, the Panchala prince. I long to
see the dear sons of Draupadi and
Abhimanyu. I do not see them here.



Where are they, who threw their bodies
into the blazing fire of battle for my sake,
like ghee in the sacrifice? I do not see any
of them here. Where are they all? My
place must be among them. At the close of
the battle, my mother Kunti wanted me to
offer libations for Karna also. When I
think of it, even now, grief overwhelms
me. In ignorance of his being my own
blood brother, I caused Karna to be slain.



I am eager to see him. Bhima, dearer to
me than life, Arjuna, who was like Indra
him self, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva
and our dear Panchali, steadfast in
dharma, I long to see and be with them all.
I do not wish to be in heaven, for what
good is it for me to be here, away from
my brothers? Wherever they may be, that
me is swarga; not this place!"



The angels, who heard this, replied:
"O Yudhishthira, if you indeed desire to
be with them, by all means, you may go at
once. There is no need to delay," and they
ordered an attendant to take Yudhishthira.
So, the messenger proceeded in front and
Yudhishthira followed him. As they went
along, it soon became dark and in the
gathering gloom could be dimly seen
things weird and revolting.



He waded through slippery slime of blood
and offal. The path was strewn with
carrion and bones and dead men's hair.
Worms were wriggling everywhere and
there was an insufferable stench in the air.
He saw mutilated human bodies
everywhere.



Yudhishthira was horrified and confused.
A thousand thoughts tortured his mind as
he proceeded.



"How far have we to go yet on this road?
Where indeed are my brothers? Tell me,
my friend," he enquired of the messenger
in deep anguish.



The messenger quietly replied: "If you so
desire, we may turn back." The foul odors
of the place were so sickening that for a
moment Yudhishthira was minded to go
back.



But just then, as if divining his intention,
vaguely familiar voices rose all around in
loud lamentation. "O Dharmaputra, do not
go back! Stay here for a few minutes at
least. Your presence has given us
momentary relief from torture. As you
came, you have brought with you a whiff
of air so sweet and pure that we have
found a little relief in our agony. Son of
Kunti, the very sight of you gives us
comfort and mitigates our suffering. O
stay, be it for ever so short a time. Do not
go back. While you are here, we enjoy a
respite in our torture." Thus the voices
pleaded.



Hearing the loud lamentations that thus
came from all around him, Yudhishthira
stood in painful bewilderment.



Overwhelmed with pity at the poignant
anguish in faintly remembered voices, he
exclaimed:
"Alas wretched souls! Who are ye that
lament like this? Why are you here?"
"Lord, I am Karna," said a voice.
"I am Bhima," said another.
"I am Arjuna," cried a third voice.
"Draupadi," cried another voice in piteous
tone.



"I am Nakula," "I am Sahadeva," "We are
Draupadi's sons," and so on, came
mournful voices from all around, till the
accumulated pain was more that
Yudhishthira could bear.



"What sin indeed have these been guilty
of?" cried he. "Dhritarashtra's son
Duryodhana, what good deeds did he do
to sit like Mahendra in heaven, while
these are in hell? Am I dreaming or am I
awake? Is my mind deranged? Have I
gone crazy?"



Overwhelmed by anger, Yudhishthira
cursed the gods and denounced dharma.
He turned to the angel attendant and said
sharply: "Go back to your masters. I shall
stay here where my dear brothers, for no
other sin than devotion to me, are
consigned to the tortures of hell. Let me
be with them."



The messenger went back and conveyed
to Indra what Yudhishthira had said.
Thus passed the thirteenth part of a day.
Then Indra and Yama appeared before
Yudhishthira where he stood in anguish.



When they came, the darkness rolled
away and the horrid sights disappeared.
The sinners and their suffering were no
more to be seen. A fragrant breeze blew as
Yama, the god of dharma, smiled on his
son Yudhishthira.



"Wisest of men, this is the third time I
have tested you. You chose to remain in
hell for the sake of your brothers. It is
inevitable that kings and rulers must go
through hell if only for a while. So it was
that for the thirtieth part of a day you too
were doomed to suffer the pangs of hell.



Neither the illustrious Savyasachi
(Arjuna) nor your beloved brother Bhima
is really in hell. Nor Karna the just, nor
anyone else who you thought had been
consigned to suffering. It was an illusion
designed to test you. This is not hell, but
swarga. Do you not see there Narada
whose travels cover the three worlds?
Cease grieving."



Thus said Yama to Dharmaputra, who,
thereupon, was transfigured. The mortal
frame was gone and he was a god. With
the disappearance of the human body, also
disappeared all trace of anger and hatred.
Then Yudhishthira saw their Karna and all
his brothers and the sons of Dhritarashtra
also, serene and free from anger, all
having attained the state of the gods. In
this reunion, Yudhishthira at last found
peace and real happiness.


END.