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यक्षयुद्धपर्वन् (yakSayuddhaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Yakshayuddhaparvan(ºva)]
(“the combat with the Yakshas”, the 38th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.
cf. Yakshayuddha). § 436. The Pāṇḍavas, etc., returned to the hermitage of Nārāyaṇa. Once Yudhishṭhira said to them: “We have passed these four years in the woods
it has been appointed by Arjuna, that after the fifth year he will come to the mountain Śveta.” They then set out with the brahmans and the Rākshasas, and protected by Lomaśa, sometimes going on foot, sometimes carried by the Rākshasas, towards the north, beholding on the way the mountains Maināka, Gandhamādana, and Śveta, and on the seventeenth day they reached the slopes of Himavat, not far from Gandhamādana, and were received by R.-ṛ. Vṛshaparvan in his hermitage, where they passed seven nights. On the eighth day they entrusted their remaining robes, their sacrificial vessels, ornaments, and jewels to Vṛshaparvan, and, following his instructions, set out for the north, on foot, with Dhaumya, Kṛshṇā, and Lomaśa. On the fourth day they reached Śveta, and entered Gandhamādana (b) with Draupadī and the brahmans, and saw the great Gaṅgā (c). Thereafter, they went to the hermitage of Ārshṭisheṇa (III, 158). Ārshṭisheṇa received the four Pāṇḍavas and Kṛshṇa and Dhaumya, and said that during the parvan days ṛshis living upon water and air and moving through the sky come to this mountain, sounds of kettledrums, etc., being heard on the summits, and that they should not attempt to proceed further, but wait for Arjuna there, as they could not go beyond Kailāsa(d) (III, 159).--§ 437. They passed the fifth year in the hermitage of Ārshṭisheṇa, eating flesh of deer killed with unpoisoned shafts, listening to the stories told by Lomaśa. Ghaṭotkaca had departed, promising to be present when occasion arose. Munis and Cāraṇas visited them. One day Suparṇa carried off a mighty Nāga from the lake, while the mountain trembled, etc., and the wind, raised by Suparṇa's wings, brought celestial flowers of five colours before the Pāṇḍavas towards the river Aśvarathā. Kṛshṇā expressed to Bhīma the wish of seeing the top of the mountain when he had driven away the Rākshasas. Bhīma set out with bow, sword, and mace, and having ascended the summit, thereby gladdening Kinnaras, Nāgas, Munis, Gandharvas, and Rākshasas, he blew his shell. Yakshas and Rākshasas (Krodhavaśāḥ, v. 11757) assailed him with maces, clubs, etc., but were killed or defeated, and the surviving fled towards the south, forsaking their weapons. The Rākshasa Maṇimat, the friend of Kubera, in vain attempted to recall them, and with clubs, javelins, etc., he rushed at Bhīma and pierced his right arm with an iron spear with a golden haft, but at last was killed by Bhīma with his mace. The surviving Rākshasas went towards the east (III, 160). --§ 438. Hearing various sounds and not seeing Bhīma, the Pāṇḍavas and Kṛshṇā, and Dhaumya and the brahmans were filled with anxiety, and, entrusting Draupadī to the charge of Ārshṭisheṇa, they ascended the summit of the mountain and embraced Bhīma, who was censured and again warned by Yudhishṭhira. Kubera, on hearing about the matter from the Rākshasas, in anger let yoke his carriage, and, eulogized by the gods and Gandharvas, and surrounded by 1, 000 Yakshas, he set out through the firmament to Gandhamādana, where he seated himself on his seat Pushpaka (b), surrounded by Yakshas, Rākshasas, Gandharvas, and Apsarases, with his noose and sword and bow, and asked Yudhishṭhira not to be angry with Bhīma as Bhīma had only been the instrument of destiny, and said to Bhīma that he did not mind his act of rashness as he had thereby been delivered from the curse of Agastya (c) (III, 161). Kubera then gave Yudhishṭhira some wise counsel, referring to the Kṛta-yuga(d)
he said, that Yudhishṭhira ought to check the rashness of Bhīmasena
they should return to the hermitage of the R.-ṛ Ārshṭisheṇa and reside there during the first dark fortnight
the inhabitants of Alakā with Gandharvas, and Yakshas with Kinnaras, etc., should, at the command of Kubera, protect them, and his servants procure for them meat and drink
he praised Arjuna (e). Arjuna would soon join them. Then Kubera went to the mountain Asta, followed by thousands of Yakshas and Rākshasas in vehicles drawn by horses flying in the air. The dead bodies of the Rākshasas were, at the command of Kubera, removed. The Pāṇḍavas dwelt several nights there, being honoured by the Rākshasas (III, 162).-§ 439. At sunrise, Dhaumya and Ārshṭisheṇa came to them, and Dhaumya, seizing Yudhishṭhira's hands, pointed out, towards the east, the Mandara mountain, the east being the region of Indra and Vaiśravaṇa, as the South is that of Yama with his abode Saṃyamana, and the Asta mountain, where the sun sets in the west, that of Varuṇa, together with the ocean
in the north Meru, with the dwelling of Brahmán, where Prajāpati creates all creatures, and the seven mindborn sons of Brahmán (of whom Daksha was the seventh), and where the seven Devarshis (i.e. Saptarshayaḥ), with Vasishṭha at their head, rise and set
next, to the east of Meru, the abode of Nārāyaṇa or Vishṇu, that cannot be seen by gods or Dānavas, and where even Brahmarshis have no access, not to speak of Maharshis, but only Yatis
thence, they do not return to this world
Vishṇu alone shines there. Description of the revolving around Meru of the sun, moon, and stars (“having coursed round Meru, the moon again repairs to Mandara”, v. ii, 873) (III, 163).--§ 440. The Pāṇḍavas dwelled there for a month, visited by Gandharvas and Maharshis. A night and a day became to them like a year, for since the departure of Arjuna, they had not felt joy. After having dwelt for five years in the abode of Indra and obtained all celestial weapons from him, Āgneya, Vāruṇa, Saumya, Vāyavya, Vaishṇava, Aindra, Pāśuvata, Brāhmya, Pārameshṭhya, and those of Prajāpati, Yama, Dhātṛ, Savitṛ, Tvashṭṛ, and Vaiśravaṇa, Arjuna took leave of Indra and came to Gandhamādana (III, 164).