Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata Read online

  Exasperated, Yama said, ‘I give you three boons, anything but the life of your husband. Take them and go.’ Savitri bowed her head respectfully and for her first boon asked that her father-in-law should regain his lost kingdom. As her second boon she asked that her father be blessed with a son. As her third boon she asked that she be the mother of Satyavan’s sons.

  Yama gave Savitri all three boons and continued on his journey to the land of the dead. Just when he reached the banks of the river Vaitarni which separates the land of the living from the land of the dead, Yama found Savitri still following him. ‘I told you to take your three boons and not follow me.’

  Savitri once again bowed her head respectfully and said, ‘The first boon has come true. My father-in-law has regained his lost kingdom. The second boon has come true. My father has a son now. But the third boon. How will it be fulfilled? How can I be the mother of my husband’s sons when he lies dead on the forest floor? I came to ask you that.’

  Yama smiled for he realized Savitri had outwitted him. The only way his third boon could be realized was by letting Satyavan live once again. He had no choice but to let Satyavan live.

  Thus Savitri was able to rewrite not only her own future but the futures of her father-in-law and father.

  The story of Savitri is unique as it challenges the traditional notion of Indians being fatalistic. It clearly shows that since Vedic times, Indians have been grappling with the conflict between fate and free will, destiny and desire. The Veda states that desire is the root of creation. Thus desire plays an important role in shaping the future as does destiny. In the Upanishads, Yagnavalkya says that life’s chariot has two wheels—desire and destiny. One can depend on one or both. Savitri changes her destiny through intense desire manifesting as unshakeable will. Herein lies the root of the rituals known as ‘vrata’ observed by Hindu women. Through fasting and all-night vigils they express their desire and determination and thereby hope to influence the destinies of their households.

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  Trapped by Nahusha

  One day, while hunting in the forest, Bhima was caught in the coils of a giant python. This was no ordinary snake; he spoke. ‘I was once Nahusha, descendant of Pururava,’ said the python. ‘I was so great a king that I was made temporary ruler of Amravati by the Devas while their king, Indra, was away, meditating to cleanse himself of a crime he had committed. While in paradise, I got to sit on Indra’s elephant and wield his thunderbolt. This newfound power so corrupted me that I felt that I should have access to Indra’s queen, Sachi, too. The queen was naturally not amused by my proposition. To teach me a lesson, she said she would allow me to come to her bed only if I came to her palace on a palanquin borne by the Sapta Rishis, the seven celestial guardians of the Veda. I foolishly agreed and forced the venerable sages to serve as my palanquin bearers. I was in such a hurry to reach Sachi’s palace that I kicked Rishi Agastya on his head because he was walking too slowly. Agastya was so infuriated with my open display of lust and disrespect, that he said I was unbecoming of the position bestowed upon me by the gods. He cursed me to fall from the skies and return to earth not as a king, or even a human, but as a python, forever moving on my stomach, waiting for food to come to me. I will be released from this wretched body the day my descendant called Yudhishtira teaches me the true meaning of Brahman.’

  Bhima tried to tell the python that he was Yudhishtira’s brother but the python did not believe him. He opened his jaws intent on swallowing Bhima. ‘Help, brother, help,’ shouted Bhima. Hearing Bhima’s cry, the Pandava brothers rushed to his rescue. ‘Stop, don’t eat my brother,’ said Yudhishtira. ‘Eat me, instead. I am Yudhishtira, son of Pandu.’

  Hearing this name, the serpent stopped. Loosening his grip around Bhima, he said, ‘If you are who you claim to be, answer my question and you will release not just your brother but also me from this terrible situation. Tell me: who is a Brahman?’

  To this Yudhishtira, enlightened by years of discussions with Rishis, said, ‘He is not the son of a Brahman as most people believe. He is one who by mastering his senses and by disciplining his mind has attained Brahma-vidya, knowledge of the eternal, infinite and boundless soul. This makes him content and gentle and generous, for he is one with the truth.’

  Hearing this answer, the serpent was filled with joy. He released Bhima and was himself released from his body. Acquiring a celestial form, he blessed Bhima and Yudhishtira and rose to Swarga.

  The brothers returned to their camp and were received by all who were worried about their long disappearance.

  Sachi, the wife of Indra, is considered to be a form of Lakshmi. She is the goddess of fortune. It is said that any one can become an Indra by earning more merit than the previous Indra. On becoming an Indra, one has access to Sachi. Sachi is faithful to the rank of Indra, not to the person who is Indra. Nahusha is not yet Indra; he is a temporary replacement, a lesser being. Though not worthy, he dares desire Sachi and thus pays for it. The tale is less about morality (do not desire the wife of another man) and more about prudence (do not aspire for things until you are worthy).

  Scriptures state that the five Pandavas were Indras in their previous lives and that their common wife, Draupadi, was Sachi.

  As in the dialogue between Yudhishtira and Nahusha, the Mahabharata repeatedly states that one becomes a Brahman not by birth but by effort. Thus the epic challenges the traditional understanding of caste.

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  The Yaksha’s questions

  Yudhishtira, one day, had a dream. He saw a deer weeping, begging him to leave the forest and return to where he came from. ‘In all these years, you and your brothers have hunted down so many of us that our numbers have dwindled. Please go back. Your days in exile are almost over. Go home. Leave Dwaita-vana.’

  Yudhishtira immediately decided to make his way out of Dwaitavana. He returned to Kamyaka woods.

  There a Rishi came to the Pandavas for help. ‘The sticks that I use to produce fire for my rituals were hanging on the branches of a tree. They got entangled in the horns of an antelope. Can you bring them back for me? I am no hunter. But I know the pond where the antelope goes to drink water every evening.’

  Since it was a simple mission, Yudhishtira ordered Nakula to hunt down the deer. Nakula soon caught sight of the deer next to a pond, but it ran away as fast as the wind. Suddenly thirsty, Nakula decided to drink some water from the pond before pursuing the deer. As he was about to take a sip, he heard a voice, ‘I am the Yaksha, lord of this lake. You may drink after answering my questions.’ Nakula looked all round and saw no one. Without heeding the words he had heard, he drank the water cupped in his hands. He fell down dead at once.

  Yudhishtira sent his other brothers one after another, to look for those who had not come back and to bring water; but the same fate befell all of them.

  Finally, Yudhishtira hurried to the spot. He was taken aback to see his brothers lying dead on the ground. There was no one anywhere nearby! Nor was there any sign of wild animals! And none of his brothers were hurt. As he too was fatigued by thirst, as his brothers were when they reached the pond, he decided to drink some water before investigating further. Like his brothers before him, he heard a voice, ‘I am the Yaksha, lord of this lake. You may drink after answering my questions.’

  Yudhishtira immediately let go of the water he had cupped in his hands. ‘Are you the one who has hurt my brothers?’

  ‘Yes,’ said the voice. ‘They disregarded my warning.’ The Yaksha then appeared before Yudhishtira.

  ‘I shall answer your questions as best as I can,’ said Yudhishtira.

  ‘Who makes the sun rise?’ asked the Yaksha.

  ‘God,’ replied Yudhishtira.

  ‘And set?’

  ‘The sun’s natural duty, its dharma.’

  ‘In whom is the sun established?’

  ‘In truth.’

  ‘Where is truth captured?’

  ‘In the Veda.’

  ‘What makes a