Section CCCXII

Vaisampayana continued,—"Then agreeable to the words of the Yaksha the Pandavas rose up; and in a moment their hunger and thirst left them.

Thereupon Yudhishthira said,

'I ask you that art incapable of being vanquished and that standest on one leg in the tank, what god art you, for I cannot take you for a Yaksha! Art you the foremost of the Vasus, or of the Rudras, or of the chief of the Maruts? Or art you the lord himself of the celestials, wielder of the thunder-bolt! Each of these my brothers is capable of fighting as hundred thousand warriors, and I see not the warrior that can slay them all! I see also that their senses have refreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art you a friend of ours, or even our father himself?'

At this the Yaksha replied,-

'O child, I am even your father, the Lord of justice, possessed of great prowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither desirous of beholding you! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity, candour, modesty, steadiness, charity, austerities and Brahmacarya, these are my body! And abstention from injury, impartiality, peace, penances, sanctity, and freedom from malice are the doors (through which I am accessible).

You are always dear to me! By good luck you are devoted to the five;^[1] and by good luck also you have conquered the six.^[2] Of the six, two appear in the first part of life; two in the middle part thereof; and the remaining two at the end, in order to make men repair to the next world. I am, good betide you, the lord of justice!

I came hither to test your merit. I am well-pleased to witness your harmlessness; and, O sinless one, I will confer boons on you. Do you, O foremost of kings, ask of me boons. I shall surely confer them, O sinless one! Those that revere me, never come by distress!'

Yudhishthira said,—

'A deer was carrying away the Brahmana’s fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask, is, may that Brahmana’s adorations to Agni be not interrupted!'

The Yaksha said,—

'O Kunti’s son endued with splendour, it was I who for examining you, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that Brahmana’s fire-sticks!"

Vaisampayana continued,—"Thereupon that worshipful one said,—

'I give you this boon! Good betide you! O you that are like unto an immortal, ask you a fresh boon!

Yudhishthira said,—

'We have spent these twelve years in the forest; and the thirteenth year is come. May no one recognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.'

Vaisampayana continued,-'Thereat that worshipful one replied,—

'I give this boon unto you!'

And then reassuring Kunti’s son having truth for prowess, he also said,

'Even if, O Bharata, you range this (entire) earth in your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recognise you. You perpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, you will spend this thirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata’s kingdom! And every one of you will be able at will to assume any form he likes! Do you now present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks. It was only to test you that I carried them away in the form of a deer!

O amiable Yudhishthira, do you ask for another boon that you mayst like! I will confer it on you. O foremost of men, I have not yet been satisfied by granting boons to you! Do you my son, accept a third boon that is great and incomparable! You, O king, art born of me, and Vidura of portion or mine!"

Thereat Yudhishthira said,—

'It is enough that I have beheld you with my senses, eternal God of gods as you are! O father, whatever boon you will confer on me I shall surely accept gladly! May I, O lord, always conquer covetousness and folly and anger, and may my mind be ever devoted to charity, truth, and ascetic austerities!

The Lord of justice said,—

'Even by nature, O Pandava, hast you been endued with these qualities, for you are the Lord of justice himself! Do you again attain what you asked for!"

Vaisampayana continued,—"Having said these words, the worshipful Lord of justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds, vanished therefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept sweetly were united with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those heroes returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his firesticks.

That man who pursues this illustrious and fame-enhancing story of the revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son (Dharma and Yudhishthira), obtaines perfect tranquillity of mind, and sons and grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years! And the mind of that man that lays this story to heart, never delights in unrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of other person’s property, or staining other people’s wives, or in foul thoughts!

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

That is, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, abstention from sensual pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation.

[2]:

That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal feeling, decrepitude, and death.