Mahá Bharata.

The adventures of the Pándavas during their CHAPTER I. exile throw but little authentic light upon the prevailing state of life and manners. It will suffice to say that after the prescribed period, they opened up negotiations with the Kauravas for the recovery of their lands; and it is curious to note that these negotiations were never carried on in writing, but only by word of mouth through messengers, envoys, or heralds. At last war commenced in a War of the savage but natural fashion. The allies on either side were marshalled upon the famous plain of Kurukshetra," amidst the deafening noise of drums and shells. Then the rival warriors insulted and abused each other, until at last they fell to like madmen. The battles were little more than single combats, in which infuriated savages fought with fists and clubs, or kicked and wrestled with their legs and arms, or shot arrows, threw stones, or hacked and hewed with swords and axes, cutting off the head of every enemy that fell. Bhishma was slain in a single combat with Arjuna. Drona was slain by the brother of Draupadí. Bhíma succeeded in defeating Duhsásana, and fulfilled his vow by decapitating him on the field of battle, and drinking his blood with savage shouts of exultation. At last there was a decisive combat between Arjuna and Karna, in which Karna was slain. The Kauravas now lost heart. The few survivors fled from the field, excepting Duryodhana, who endeavoured to

20 The plain of Kurukshetra is identified with that of Paniput. It lies to the north-west of Delhi, and has been the most famous battle-field in India from time immemorial. It was here that Baber fought the great battle in 1525, which virtually established the Mogul dynasty at Delhi; and it was here that Ahmed Shah, the Afghan, inflicted such a crushing blow upon the Mahrattas in 1761, as practically cleared the way for the establishment of Great Britain as the paramount power.

CHAPTER I. conceal himself in a marshy glen. But the Pándavas felt that so long as their chief enemy was alive, the war might be renewed. Accordingly Duryodhana was routed out of his concealment and compelled to engage in a final combat with Bhíma. At length, after a deadly struggle, Bhíma is said to have struck a foul blow, which broke the thigh of his adversary in fulfilment of his vow. Duryodhana was left mortally wounded upon the field, and died the next day.

Main tradition of the Rámáyana.

An

Thus ended the great war of Bhárata. incident is related of a night attack on the camp of the Pandavas; but the story is simply horrible, and merely illustrates the blind madness for revenge which characterized all the combatants. The Pándavas proceeded in triumph to their old home at Hastinapur, and took possession of the entire Raj. After this they conquered all the Rajas round about, and celebrated the horse sacrifice, known as the Aswamedha, by which they asserted their sovereignty. Meantime the blind Raja Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandharí retired to a hermitage on the banks of the Ganges, where they ultimately perished miserably in a conflagration of the jungle.

The main tradition of the Rámáyana appears under very different aspects to that of the Mahá Bhárata, and the surroundings are of a more luxurious character. Instead of a colonial settlement, like those at Hastinápur and Indraprastha, there was the great imperial city of Ayodhya, the capital of a substantive empire, situated on the river Sarayú, the modern Gogra, with strong walls, gates, and a garrison of archers. Instead of a rude fort there

was a magnificent palace, an extensive zenana, and CHAPTER I. all the paraphernalia of sovereignty. The Maháraja, or great Raja, was not a mere feudal chieftain surrounded by retainers, but the monarch of an empire, with ministers of state and a council of nobles. Finally, the exile of Ráma was not brought about by a quarrel between rival kinsmen, but by zenana intrigues between two jealous and unscrupulous queens. The subject matter of the epic has been already treated in a separate volume, much in the same manner as that of the Malá Bhárata. It will therefore only be necessary to bring together such incidents as will indicate the state of civilization; and these may be considered under four heads, namely:1st. The domestic life of the royal family at Ayodhya.

2nd. The intrigues of the first queen, and the favourite queen, respecting the appointment of the heir-apparent.

3rd. The exile of Ráma.

4th. The death of the Maháraja and triumphant return of Ráma.22

Ayodhya, or

Oude.

Maharaja Dasaratha was sovereign of the empire Royal family at of Kosala, in the centre of Hindustan; and a descendant of the Suryavansa, or children of the Sun. The city of Ayodhya was the metropolis ; and here he dwelt in his palace in all the pride and pomp of royalty. He had three queens, by whom he had four sons. The first and oldest

22 See History, vol. ii., part iv., Rámáyana.-The Rámáyana also narrates an important event, known as the war between Ráma and the Rakshasas, on account of the abduction of the wife of Ráma, by Rávana, the demon Raja of Lanká or Ceylon. This event, however, seems to have no real connection with the tradition of the exile. It appears to be connected with the life of another Ráma, who was distinguished as the Ráma of the Dekhan. It will be brought under review in chapter vii., which deals with the history of the Brahmanical revival.

CHAPTER I. queen was named Kausalyá, and she was the mother of Ráma. The youngest and favourite queen was named Kaikeyí, and she was the mother of Bharata. There was also a third queen, who had two sons, but they played such unimportant parts in the story, that their names may be passed over

Marriage of
Rama and Sitá.

in silence.

Ráma, the eldest son of the Maháraja, was married to a princess named Sítá. She was the daughter of Janaka, the Raja of the neighbouring kingdom of Mithilá, which seems to have generally corresponded to the modern country of Tirhoot. The story of the marriage is a curious relic of old Hindú life. Ráma paid a visit to Mithilá at an early age, and found that Sítá was to be given in marriage to the hero who first succeeded in bending a certain enormous bow. Many young men had tried to accomplish this feat, but all had failed. Ráma, however, bent the bow with ease, and thus obtained his beautiful bride. The marriage rites were performed by Raja Janaka. The sacred fire was burning on the altar, and Ráma was conducted to it by a procession of friends and kinsmen, and stood at the north-east corner of the altar. Janaka then brought his daughter and placed her by the side of the bridegroom; and Ráma took her by the hand in the presence of the fire-deity, and accepted her as his wife. The pair were sprinkled with water which had been consecrated by the utterance of Vedic hymns; and then walked three times round the altar, whilst the trumpets were sounded to announce that the marriage was over.23

23 It is impossible to avoid noticing the striking resemblance between the ancient marriage ceremony, as it was performed by our Aryan forefathers in their

Little Raja," or heir-appar

ent.

Shortly after the marriage of Ráma a question of CHAPTER I. considerable importance was agitated at the court of Ayodhya, namely, the appointment of an heir- Appointment of apparent to the throne under the title of Yuvaraja, or "Little Raja." According to Hindú usages, the heir-apparent was installed as Yuvaraja whilst the Maháraja was still living; in order that he might relieve the sovereign of the heavier duties of the administration, and prepare himself for the important position which he would have to fulfil when he succeeded to the throne. But Maháraja Dasaratha, like many other sovereigns, was disinclined to resign any share of his power and dignity to a son and successor; and possibly he feared that the appointment would lead to a bitter and jealous dispute in his own household. He was, however, compelled to yield to the popular will. A deputation of ministers and chieftains waited upon him to express the general desire that he should retire from the more active duties of the administration, and entrust the power to his eldest son Ráma. Accordingly the Maháraja summoned a great council of chieftains and people, and publicly announced his intention of appointing Ráma to the post of Yuvaraja; and it was decided that on the following day the prince should be solemnly inaugurated upon the throne with all the ancient ceremonial.

private dwellings, and the more modern rite as it is performed in Christian churches. In Protestant countries the fire on the altar has been rejected as Jewish; it belongs rather to the old Aryan fire-worship. Again, the use of holy water has been abandoned, although it is nothing more than an old rite of purification. But in all essential particulars the ceremony is the same. The bridegroom and the bride are still placed before the altar; and the father of the bride gives away his daughter; whilst the bridegroom takes her hand in his, and pledges his troth in the presence of the altar, although the fire is wanting.History, vol. ii., Rámáyana, ch. v.