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नारदागमनपर्वन् (nAradAgamanaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Nāradāgamanaparvan] (“the section containing the arrival of Nārada, ” the ninety-seventh of the minor parvans of Mahābhārata
cf. Nāradāgamana).--§ 792: Vaiśampāyana said: Two years after their return from the retreat of Dhṛtarāshṭra the Pāṇḍavas were visited by D.-ṛ. Nārada. Yudhishṭhira inquired after Dhṛtarāshṭra, etc. Nārada said: After thy return from Kurukshetra, Dhṛtarāshṭra proceeded towards Gaṅgādvāra with the sacrificial fire and Gāndhārī, Kuntī, Sañjaya, and all the yājakas. They themselves took to severe austerities (description), while the sacred fire was duly worshipped by the yājakas. They wandered about, Sañjaya acting as a guide, Pṛthā becoming the eye of Gāndhārī. Once Dhṛtarāshṭra bathed in the Gaṅgā, and was returning to his retreat. A violent forest conflagration set in
Dhṛtarāshṭra dismissed Sañjaya and sat down, facing the east, with Gāndhārī and Kuntī
they concentrated their soul, and were burnt by the conflagration. Sañjaya escaped and was seen by me (Nārada) on the banks of the Gaṅgā in the midst of ascetics
he bade them farewell and started for Himavat. In the course of my wanderings I saw the three bodies. The ascetics, from whom I heard all the details, did not at all grieve for them. Vaiśampāyana said: The Pāṇḍavas and the citizens felt great grief (XV, 37). Yudhishṭhira lamented () (XV, 38). Nārada comforted Yudhishṭhira by informing him of the sacred character of the fire that had burnt Dhṛtarāshṭra and the two queens. When Dhṛtarāshṭra entered the woods he caused his sacrificial fires to be duly ignited
having performed his sacred rites with them he abandoned them all
then the Yājakas had left them in a solitary part of the wood and gone away
the fires thus left to themselves produced a general conflagration
“this is what I have heard from the ascetics on the Gaṅgā.” Vaiśampāyana said: Headed by Yuyutsu the Pāṇḍavas and the citizens all proceeded to the Gaṅgā in order to offer oblations of water to the deceased king and queens. Then they came back, taking up their residence outside the city. Yudhishṭhira sent, a number of men to the retreat to cremate the remains of his uncle, aunt, and mother in due form. On the twelfth day he performed the śrāddhas with gifts in abundance (description). Then all returned to Hāstinapura. The great Ṛ. Nārada, having comforted Yudhishṭhira, went away. Dhṛtarāshṭra had passed three years in the forest and fifteen years in the city. Yudhishṭhira was plunged in grief [*
not in B.]
(XV, 39).