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INDIA. PART II.

to the gardens

molten gold. By Hanuman's aid Bhíma made his HISTORY OF way to the gardens of Kuvera on the Himálaya mountain, and there he found flowers which had a Bhima proceeds thousand petals, and which had been eagerly desired by Draupadi because their smell was so delicious that it would make old people young again, and convert sorrow into joy.

of

Kuvera, the

god of wealth.

referring to

austerities on

mountains to induce the gods

celestial wea

pons.

him to Siva.

But of all the myths which have been introduced Famous myths for the sake of associating the Pándavas with the Arjuna." gods, none are so famous as those which refer to Arjuna, the fabled son of Indra, who was himself the sovereign of the Vedic deities. Arjuna proceeded Arjuna practises to the Himalaya mountains, by the advice of his the Himalaya mythical grandfather Vyása, for the sake of per- to grant him forming such penances as should propitiate the gods, and induce them to grant him celestial weapons which would ensure him the victory over Duryodhana and the Kauravas. On reaching the Mandara mountain he heard a voice in the sky calling upon him to stop; and Indra appeared in all his glory, Indra refers and promised to give him the divine weapons provided he succeeded in propitiating the god Siva. Arjuna then entered upon a course of austerities so Arjuna propitisevere that Siva was perfectly gratified, but proved single combat. the valour of his worshipper by taking upon himself the form of a mountaineer and engaging Arjuna in single combat. Arjuna, unable to make any impression upon his enemy, at length discovered the deity, and prostrated himself at the feet of Siva; upon which Siva gave him one of his most powerful Receives a weaweapons. Subsequently the gods of the four quar- The gods of the ters of the universe-Indra, Yama, Varuna, Kuvera-presented themselves to Arjuna, and spectively furnished him with their own

ates Siva, who engages him in

pon from Siva.

four quarters of

and the universe

present him

re- with weapons. peculiar

INDIA.

PART II.

HISTORY OF Weapons. Arjuna was then carried away in Indra's chariot to the city of Amarávatí, which is the heaven of Indra. There he spent many years in the heaven of practising the use of arms; and at length was sent by Indra to make war against the Daityas of the

Practises the

use of arms in

Indra.

Mythic wars of

Arjuna against

sea.

The mythic account of Arjuna's wars against the the Daityas of Daityas of the sea, is also worthy of notice if only as

sea.

of the colour of

a creation of the imagination. On approaching the coast in a chariot which flew through the air, Arjuna beheld the sea rising in vast heaps, and saw ships laden with rubies, and fishes and tortoises as large as mountains. He blew his war shell and the Daityas trembled with fear, but in return they sounded their drums and trumpets so loudly that the monsters of the deep leaped above the waves. Thousands of Daityas rushed upon him, but he uttered powerful mantras as he discharged his arrows, and kept them all at bay. They rained fire, water, and mountains upon him, but he triumphed in the end and slew them all. Then the women came out screaming like cranes, but Arjuna passed them by and entered the

city, where he saw chariots with ten thousand horses Chariot-horses of the colour of peacocks. Meantime the women peacocks. were terrified at the rolling of his chariot, and fled to their houses, whilst the noise of their ornaments resembled the falling of stones upon a mountain. After this victory Arjuna returned to Indra, and was rewarded with great praises; and the sovereign of the gods presented him with a chain of gold and a diadem, and with a war shell which sounded like thunder.

Historical signi-
ficance of the
foregoing
myths.

These extravagant myths, unmeaning as they appear in themselves, are not without historical sig nificance, when considered in connection with the

INDIA. PART II

Favourite heroes of the

Hindus associ old national

ated with the

gods in the age of Brahmanical

vivalaist

Buddhism.

age in which the Mahá Bhárata assumed its present HISTORY OF form. It was an age of Brahmanical revival; an age when the Brahmans appealed to the old national gods of the Hindús against the practical atheism of the Buddhists; an age when the national traditions were remodelled, and ancient forms of worship were restored, for the purpose of enlisting the sympathies of the masses against the Buddhistic hierarchy, and re-establishing the caste supremacy of the Bráhmans. Under such circumstances the object of the Brahmanical compilers in inventing these absurd myths is sufficiently obvious; they desired to associate the ancient gods of India with the favourite heroes of the Hindús. The mythical wars of Arjuna against Wars of Arjuna the Daityas would also appear to be not without Daityas typical significance, if the Daityas may be identified with the Brahmans the Buddhists; and this identification is not wholly without foundation. The Daityas possessed horses of the colour of peacocks, and peacocks are especially the sacred emblem of the Buddhists. Moreover the statement that the Daityas inhabited the islands of the sea is in perfect accordance with this view; as the Buddhists certainly took refuge in Burmah and Ceylon when driven out by the Bráhmans from the great Indian peninsula.

against the

of the wars of

against the Buddhists.

tic portion of

exile.

the Pandavas

at a great dis

Having thus disposed of these somewhat dis- 2nd, Authentracting myths, it is refreshing to return to the more the legend of authentic and natural traditions of the exile of the Indications that Pándavas. From the simple incidents which follow, never wandered it would seem that the Pándavas never strayed to a great distance from their Raj; and that they only moved about in search of game, residing in some temporary hut or booth which they probably constructed for themselves. They were accompanied davas in the

[blocks in formation]

tance from their

Raj.

Life of the Pán

jungle.

INDIA.

HISTORY OF by their wife Draupadí, and are said to have also PART II. taken their priest Dhaumya with them; but the references to the latter personage are by no means satisfactory, nor is his presence in any way necessary to the story. Kuntí, as already stated, was left behind at Hastinapur. The five sons of Draupadí appear to have been sent to the house of her father Drupada; whilst Subhadrá, if she really were married to Arjuna, would seem to have returned to her father's house at Dwáraká, accompanied by her son Abhimanyu.

Four incidents in the jungle life

The incidents in the jungle life of the Pánof the Pandavas. davas, which are either authentic in themselves, or apparently have reference to actual events, are four in number, namely:

1st, The capture

of Duryodhana

the Gandhar

1st, The capture of Duryodhana and Karna by the Gandharva tribe, and their subsequent release by the Pándavas.

2nd, The Vaishnava sacrifice performed by Duryodhana.

3rd, Yudhishthira's dream.

4th, The attempt of Jayadratha to carry off Draupadí.

The first of these traditions, namely, the capture and Karay of Duryodhana and Karna by the Gandharva tribe, and their subsequent release by the Pándavas, may be related as follows:

vas.

Tradition of the Kauravas going out into the jungle to mark

really to spy out

And it came to pass that whilst the Pandavas were sojourning in the jungle, Raja Duryodhana desired to spy the cattle, but out their misery, and flaunt his own magnificence before the Pandavas. them. Now every three years it was the custom for the Kauravas to go out into the pastures and mark all the calves, and to renew the marks upon the cows; and as it was known full well that the Maháraja would forbid them from

INDIA. PART II.

Duryodhana to

vas.

Karna defeated

soners by the

come to their

going near the Pandavas, Duryodhana asked for leave to go HISTORY OF out and mark the cattle. And the Maharaja gave his consent, and Duryodhana, and Karna, and many of the Kauravas departed out of the city, and after hunting in the jungle many days, they came near to the spot where the Pándavas were encamped. Now on a certain day Duryodhana sent Insolence of on his people to pitch his tent by the side of a great lake, the Gandharand it so happened that a band of the Gandharva tribe had already pitched their tents on the same spot; and the servants of Duryodhana came back and told their master. Then Duryodhana and Duryodhana sent an insolent message to the Gandharvas, and taken priand ordered them to take up their tents and depart with all Gandharvas. speed. And the Gandharvas went out and fought against Duryodhana, and defeated him, and took him prisoner, together with Karna and many of the Kauravas. And some The Pandavas of those who fled went and told the Pándavas that their rescue. kinsmen had been taken prisoners by the Gandharvas; and the Pándavas went out and fought the Gandharvas and utterly routed them, and compelled them to restore the prisoners they had taken. And Yudhishthira gave a feast Mortification of to the Kauravas, and called Duryodhana his brother; and Duryodhana affected to be much pleased, but his pride was humbled, and he was very wroth, and he would have killed himself, but for the hope that the day would come when he would be fully avenged. Duryodhana then returned to the city of Hastinapur, and on a certain day there was a Council held in the palace of the Maháraja, and Bhishma arose and praised the valour of the Pándavas and advised Duryodhana His resentment to make peace with them; but Duryodhana rose up and buke adminis smiled contemptuously, and left the assembly without speak- ma. ing one word, and Bhishma returned in great indignation to his own house.

in the

Duryodhana.

at the public retered by Bh sh

Similarity be

of Duryodhana

fi

vas and the feast given by Yudhishthira, to the rescue of

The foregoing simple tradition calls for little tween the rescue remark, but it is difficult to avoid noticing its curious by the Pandaresemblance to a corresponding incident patriarchal period of Hebrew history. It will be remembered that when Lot had been carried away fr

Lot by Abra

ham, and the feast of bread

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