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पुत्रदर्शनपर्वन् (putradarzanaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Putradarśanaparvan] (“the section relating to the seeing of the sons, ” the 96th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.
cf. Putradarśana). § 789: Janamejaya said: Tell me what that wonderful feat was which M.-ṛ. Vyāsa accomplished after his promise to Dhṛtarāshṭra when he had taken up his abode in the forest with Gāndhārī and Kuntī, and after Vidura had left his body and entered into Yudhishṭhira, and when all the Pāṇḍavas were in the ascetic retreat
for how many days did Yudhishṭhira stay with his men in the woods
on what food did the Pāṇḍavas support themselves with their men and wives? Vaiśampāyana said: The Pāṇḍavas passed about a month in that forest, supporting themselves on diverse kinds of food and drink. Then Vyāsa came there and Nārada, etc. ()
they sat down on sacred seats [of kuśa grass]
and on seats of peacock feathers
Gāndhārī, etc. () also sat down
they spoke of Ṛ., D., and As. Then Vyāsa said that he knew that burning grief in the heart of Dhṛtarāshṭra, etc. ()
“let D., G., and M.-ṛ. to-day behold the energy of my penances
therefore tell me what wish of thine I shall grant to-day.” Dhṛtarāshṭra wished to see his dead children and kinsmen, mentioning Duryodhana and the slaughter of Bhīshma and Droṇa. Hearing this the grief of Gāndhārī, etc. () became fresh
Gāndhārī said that for sixteen years Dhṛtarāshṭra never had slept for grief
and also Kṛshṇā, etc. () grieved exceedingly. Vyāsa then asked Kuntī to tell what she wished (XV, 29). Kuntī told the story of Karṇa's birth (mentioning Durvāsas, etc.)
Vyāsa promised to show her Karṇa, and said that she had no fault in what had happened about the birth of Karṇa
“the gods beget after five methods (thought, word, sight, touch, and sexual union)” (XV, 30) Vyāsa promised to show everyone the persons whom they wished to see and who were in the other world ()
“they were all portions of D.
both G., Aps., Pś., Gh., Rā., Puṇyajanāḥ, Si., D.-ṛ., D., and Dā. met with death on the battlefield of Kurukshetra”
he explained who among the dead, etc., was what: Dhṛtarāshṭra was the Gandharva king Dhṛtarāshṭra, etc. (). They all, Dhṛtarāshṭra with his ministers and the Pāṇḍavas and Ṛ. and G., proceeded towards the Bhāgīrathī and waited for the advent of night
at sunset they bathed and finished their evening rites (XV, 31). When night came, Vyāsa plunged into the Bhāgīrathī for a bath, and summoned all the deceased warriors, who all rose up from the water with a loud uproar, everyone presenting the same aspect that he did when clad for battle
there were Bhīshma, etc. ()
all of them were now robed in celestial vestments and had brilliant earrings
they were free from all animosity, etc.
G. sang their praises, etc.
each of them was waited upon by bands of Aps. Vyāsa gave Dhṛtarāshṭra celestial vision
endued with celestial knowledge, Gāndhārī saw all the slain
Dhṛtarāshṭra became full of joy (XV, 32). Divested of wrath and malice, the spirits of the dead mingled with the living in happy converse (). Having sported with one another for that night they, taking leave from each other, returned to the places they had come from (), Vyāsa dismissing them within the twinkling of an eye
of Rā. and Pś. some proceeded to the Uttarakurus, others to the gods. With Vyāsa's permission, many widows plunged into the waters of the Bhāgīrathī in order to accompany their deceased lords, and proceeded to those regions where their husbands had found their abodes. Vyāsa granted to all the men there assembled the fruition of their wishes. People of diverse realms, hearing of this meeting between the dead and living, became highly delighted (XV, 33).--§ 790: Sauti said: Janamejaya filled with joy asked Vaiśampāyana, how it is possible for persons whose bodies have been destroyed to reappear in those very forms. Vaiśampāyana said: Acts are never destroyed
bodies are born of acts
so also are features, etc., quoting a śruti in the horse-sacrifice (XV, 34). Dhṛtarāshṭra had never beheld his own sons, but got spiritual vision from Vyāsa, he had learnt all the royal duties, as also the Vedas and Upanishads
Vidura attained to high success through penances. Janamejaya said: If Vyāsa shows me my father as he was when he died I may then believe all that thou hast told me. Sauti said: Then Vyāsa brought Parikshit [from the other world], and Śamīka and his son Śṛṅgin
all the counsellors and ministers of the king beheld them. Janamejaya, performing the final bath in his sacrifice, highly rejoiced
he poured the sacred water over his father, as also over himself
then he said to Āstīka that this his sacrifice was fraught with many wonderful incidents
Āstīka praised Vyāsa and the snake-sacrifice, from which Takshaka had with difficulty escaped, the worship of Ṛ., etc. Janamejaya honoured Āstīka, and then asked Ṛ. Vaiśampāyana about Dhṛtarāshṭra's further residence in the woods (XV, 35).-§ 791: Janamejaya said: Having seen his sons, etc., what did Dhṛtarāshṭra, and king Yudhishṭhira also, do? Vaiśampāyana said: Beholding that wonderful sight, the reappearance of his children, R.-ṛ. Dhṛtarāshṭra became relieved of his grief and returned to his retreat
the people and Ṛ., dismissed by Dhṛtarāshṭra, returned home. Vyāsa came and asked Dhṛtarāshṭra to dismiss the Pāṇḍavas (“thou hast heard discourses from Ṛ., the mysteries of D. from Nārada, etc.”), who now had passed more than a month in the woods. Dhṛtarāshṭra addressed Yudhishṭhira affectionately, and dismissed him and his brothers. Yudhishṭhira offered to wait upon his uncle and his two mothers
Gāndhārī dissuaded him from that step. Yudhishṭhira said that his mind was wholly set upon penances, as the whole earth were empty now, etc. () Sahadeva, saying that he dared not leave his mother, urged Yudhishṭhira to return to the capital
he would himself remain, engaged in penances and in serving the old king and his mothers. Kuntī affectionately dissuaded her sons from remaining with her and thereby obstructing her penances. They then took leave of their mother and Dhṛtarāshṭra, who blessed and comforted Yudhishṭhira, etc. (), and embraced them one after another. Then Gāndhārī blessed them, and Kuntī kissed them on their heads, etc. Gāndhārī and Kuntī embraced Draupadī, etc., and instructed them. Yudhishṭhira with his wives and troops and kinsmen set out for Hāstinapura (XV, 36). R