Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata Read online

  Yudhishtira’s horse then crossed Sindhu where Arjuna was welcomed by Dusshala, the only sister of the Kauravas and the wife of Jayadhrata, and her son. Jayadhrata had helped in the killing of Arjuna’s son, Abhimanyu. But now all was forgiven. Arjuna hugged his cousin sister with love and blessed her son.

  Arjuna then crossed Gandhara, where he was welcomed by Shakuni’s sons. Here too there was no more anger against the Pandavas. Bygones were bygones.

  Finally, Arjuna reached the sea where the horse was able to walk on the waves. Arjuna was pleasantly surprised when even he was able to walk on the waves. Arjuna realized this was because of the spiritual powers of Rishi Bakadalbhya, who lived on a lagoon nearby. The sage told him a story, ‘I once performed tapasya and compelled Indra, king of the gods, to appear before me. I asked him if he accepted that I was stronger than him. He said yes, but there is one greater. I asked him to take me to that greater being. He took me to Brahma, the father of all living things. He had four heads. I asked Brahma if he was the greatest being in the world. He said no, for there was someone greater. I asked him to take me to that greater being. He took me to a Brahma who had eight heads. I asked this eight-headed Brahma if he was the greatest being in the world. This eight-headed Brahma said no, for there was someone greater. I asked him to take me to that greater being. He took me to a Brahma who had sixteen heads. This Brahma took me to a Brahma with thirty-two heads who took me to a Brahma with sixty-four heads. Thus we went to meet many more Brahmas, each greater than the previous ones. And finally, we came to a Brahma with a thousand heads who said that greater than him was Vishnu, who reclines on a serpent that lives in the ocean of milk. And that Vishnu walks the earth as Krishna. Hearing this, I realized how insignificant a creature I was in the universe and how foolish. That day my ego was shattered and I attained bliss. Since that day, people have been able to walk on water when they come near my hermitage.’

  After hearing the Rishi’s tale, Arjuna returned with the horse to the shore. As the journey continued, the horse was captured by Mayurdhvaj. The only reason Mayurdhvaj did this was because Arjuna would follow the horse. If he captured Arjuna, then Krishna would come to the rescue of Arjuna. Mayurdhvaj knew that Krishna was Vishnu, God on earth. Being a great devotee, he wanted to see Krishna in person, hence this elaborate plan. This plan worked and Krishna did come to his city in search of Arjuna. After falling at Krishna’s feet, Mayurdhvaj released both Arjuna and the horse.

  Jaimini’s version of the Mahabharata is different from that of his master, Vyasa’s. It focuses more on Yudhishtira’s Ashwamedha after the war, on the reconciliation with the children of enemies (the sons of Karna, Jayadhrata, Shakuni) and on the value of worshipping Krishna as God. Known as Jaiminiya-ashwamedha, this work has inspired many folk stories, a few of which are narrated in the chapter above.

  Rishi Bakadalbhya is associated with walking on water or crossing water. He taught Ram rituals that would enable him to cross the sea and reach the island of Lanka, where Ravana, king of the Rakshasas, had confined Sita. The same rituals are performed every year on Vijaya Ekadashi which falls on the eleventh day of the waxing moon in February–March.

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  Babruvahana

  After conquering many lands, the horse of the Pandavas reached Manipur where it was stopped by its ruler, a young man called Babruvahana, who turned out to be Arjuna’s son by Chitrangada, princess of Manipur.

  Babruvahana welcomed his father, who he had never met before, and would have let the horse pass through the city when Arjuna said, ‘This is unbecoming of a warrior’s son. Challenge me. Fight me. Don’t give in so easily.’ In deference to his father’s wishes, Babruvahana raised his bow and to everyone’s surprise turned out to be more than a match for his father. He very ably destroyed the arrows released by his father and it took a lot of effort on Arjuna’s part to destroy the arrows released by his young son.

  Then, after hours of fighting, the unthinkable happened—an arrow that left Babruvahana’s bow ripped through Arjuna’s heart killing him instantly. Chitrangada let out a cry and Babruvahana was shattered for he never intended to harm his father. He hugged the lifeless body of Arjuna and began to wail.

  Suddenly, there appeared on the scene a Naga woman. Her name was Ulupi. She was the mother of Iravan, sacrificed on the ninth night of the war. ‘You have done nothing wrong, Babruvahana,’ said Ulupi, ‘Your father brought this upon himself. You were but an instrument of destiny. Your father killed his granduncle, Bhishma, who was like a father to him. For that shameful act, Bhishma’s mother, the river-goddess, Ganga, cursed Arjuna that he would die at the hands of his own son. That curse has just expressed itself through your arrow. But fear not. I bring with me Naga-mani, a magical gem from the realm of serpents that has the power to bring the dead to life.’ Ulupi placed the magical gem of serpents on Arjuna’s fatal wound and, to Babruvahana’s utter astonishment, the wound healed itself.

  Arjuna then started to breathe. He opened his eyes as if waking up from a deep sleep. Arjuna looked at Ulupi but failed to recognize her for years had passed since the night they had spent together. A heartbroken Ulupi silently withdrew to her subterranean realm.

  After spending many days with Chitrangada and Babruvahana, it was time for Arjuna to return to Hastina-puri with the sacrificial horse. Mother and son let him go with a heavy heart.

  As soon as the horse entered Hastina-puri, it began to neigh happily. All the Rishis were surprised. ‘Why does it laugh so? Does it not know that it will be killed at the altar?’ Nakula heard what the horse had to say and revealed that the horse was happy because unlike other horses that had been sacrificed in earlier Ashwamedha yagnas and had ascended to the paradise of the gods after their death, he would go to a higher heaven, located even above Swarga.

  ‘What is this heaven located even above Swarga?’ asked Yudhishtira.

  The Rishis replied, ‘It is a secret known to few. We do not know it. Maybe, one day, O king, if the gods find you worthy enough, the secret will be revealed to you.’

  In a Bengali folk retelling of the Mahabharata is the tale of one of Arjuna’s many jilted wives who takes the form of the arrow which Babruvahana shoots to kill his father. Later, she regrets her action and begs the gods to restore Arjuna to life.

  In Jaimini-bharata, Babruvahana has to go to the land of the serpents, following directions given by Ulupi, to fetch the magical jewel himself. He succeeds but only after many adventures in Naga-loka.

  The Naga princess Ulupi’s love for Arjuna remains unrequited. He has no recollection of her. But still she forgives and saves him.

  Arjuna’s death at the hands of his son washes away the demerit he himself earned when he killed his foster father, Bhishma.

  102

  Start of Kali yuga

  Yudhishtira’s Ashwamedha yagna was the grandest yagna in human memory. No expense was spared. All the Rishis who conducted the yagna and chanted the mantras were given food, clothing and cows.

  In the midst of the ceremony, two farmers came to Hastina-puri and begged Yudhishtira to settle a dispute. One of the farmers had sold his land to the other. The following day, while ploughing the field, the new owner stumbled upon a pot of gold buried under the ground. He went to the old owner and offered it to him saying, ‘I bought the land. However, what lies beneath it still belongs to you.’ The old owner refused to take the pot of gold saying it now belonged to the new owner who had found it.

  Yudhishtira, impressed by the charitable nature of the two farmers, did not know how to settle this case. So he sought Krishna’s advice. Krishna suggested that the farmers leave their pot of gold with the king and return after three months. The two farmers agreed.

  As they left, Yudhishtira looked at Krishna quizzically. What would happen after three months, he wondered. Krishna replied, ‘In three months the same two farmers, who were so willing to give away the pot of gold today, will return and fight furiously to be its sole owners. On that day, you will find it