Bhagavad-Yana Parva — The story of Dambhodbhava

Vaishampayana said These words having been uttered by the high-souled, all the courtiers sat stupefied with their hairs standing on their end.

No man ventured to say anything in reply and all the rulers of the earth began to think in own minds.

Silence having thus prevailed in the midst of those kings, the son of Jamadagni, spoke these words in the assembly of the Kurus.

"To these truthful words of mine, illustrated by an example, listen without entertaining any doubt or suspicion and hearing that accept the moral if you think my story good.

in days of old, there was a king named Dambhodbhava who had brought under his sway the entire world and enjoyed the fruits of the whole world in their; such has been heard by us.

Every day at the end or night, that great and heroic car-warrior, rising up, used to ask the Brahmanas and Krishna Kshatriyas.

'Is there anybody who is more accomplished or even equal to myself in battle, be he a Shudra, a Vaishya, a Kshatriyas or a Brahmana?'

Saying thus he would wander over the earth intoxicated with great vanity and without thinking of anything else.

Several Brahrnanas, of really noble souls, acquainted with the Vedas and having nothing lo fear, forbade the king who was boasting too often.

Even when forbidden, that vile man used to ask the same thing to the twice born. Some Brahmanas then thus spoke to him who was too puffed up with vanity and intoxicated with prosperity.

Those twice born devotees, of large souls and acquainted with the cases cited in the Vedas, excited by wrath, said to that king.

There are two persons who are the best among men and who have achieved many victories in battle; you are by no means equal to them, Oking.

The king thus spoken to, asked these Brahmanas again and again, 'Where are these two heroes? Where are they bom? What works have they achieved and who are they?'

The Brahmanas said WE have heard that those two are the devotees Nara and Narayana who have taken their birth in the human world. O ruler of the earth, fight with them.

We hear that both of them, Nara and Narayana of large souls, are practicing severe austerities in some hidden regions in the Gandhamadana (mountain).

The king, having collected a large army consisting of six divisions be took himself to the regions where these two who had never to remain unconcerned at their reputation.

He. going to the rightful and unapproachable Gandhamadana, hunted for the two devotees and at last met them who had taken refuge in the wilderness.

Seeing them, the best among men, emaciated with hunger and thirst, with their veins visible and afflicted with cold, wind and with the rays of the sun.

He approached them and touching their feet asked them about their welfare. They received him with roots and fruits and with the offer of a seat and water. They asked the king “What can we do for you?' Then he repeated to them from the very beginning the fact

And said-‘The earth has been conquered by my arms and all my enemies have been killed. With the desire of fighting with you, have I come to this mountain; give me this hospitality, the desire which I have entertained for a long time.'

Nara and Narayana said This retreat, O best among kings, is beyond the reach of wrath and avarice, there is no warfare in this retreat. Where are weapons to be got from? Desire war elsewhere, there are many Kshatriyas on the face of the earth.

Rama said Though spoken to in this way, he repeated his request and the ascetics, O Bharata, again and again comforted him and pardoned him (for his importunities). Dambhodbhava, desirous of battle, however summoned these two devotees to fight again and again.

Then Nara taking up a handful of blades of grass said, 'Come and fight, O you Kshatriya, desirous of fight as you are; take up all your arms and prepare your army. I shall destroy your thirst for war from this moment forward.'

Dambhodbhava said If, O devotee, you think this weapon fit to be used against me and mine, I shall fight with you though you use that weapon. I am come here for fight.

Rama said Saying these Dambhodbhava with his army, desirous of killing that devotee, covered all sides with a downpour of arrows.

The Rishi, by means of the same blades of grass, neutralized the terrible arrows capable of rending asunder the body of the enemies.

Then the one, who had never sustained a defeat, shot terrible weapons in the shape of blades of grass, which were incapable of being withstood and a strange effect they had.

The eyes, ears and noses of his solders were cut off by the Muni who could not possibly miss his aim, by the e blades of grass through his illusive energy.

Then seeing the sky rendered white with blades of grass, the king fell at Nara's feet and exclaimed-'May good betide me.'

Nara, who is the proper refuge to those that deserve and desire protection, said to him 'O king, be virtuous-souled and act up to the instructions of the Brahmanas and do not again behave in this way.

A conqueror of cities, in the possession of his enemies, performing the duties of Kshatriya should not, Oking, be such even in his intentions, O best of the rulers of men.

Subject to the influence of vanity never insult any body in any way, who he be, your inferior or your superior; such a conduct, O king, would not be proper for you.

Acquiring wisdom, being beyond the reach of covetousness, without vanity, acquiring mastery over self, restraining your desires, endued with forgiveness, humility and being peaceful protect your subjects, O ruler of the carth and do not again insult any body with out knowing his strength and weakness.

May good betide you; with our permission depart and never again act in this way; in obedience to our command, enquire of the Brahmanas about their welfare and what is for your good.'

Then the king, bowing to the feet of the two great-souled beings, returned to his own capital and thenceforward acted most righteously.

The deed, which was achieved by Nara in days of old, was very great indeed. Narayana was still greater in regard to many virtues.

For that reason so long as weapons are not joined to that foremost of bows the Gandiva, putting aside your vanity go you, O king, to Dhananjaya.

Kakudika, Shuka, Naka, Akshisantarjana, Santana, Ghora and Asyamodaka-these eight types of weapons.

Pierced by these all men go to the regions of death and the same is the case when they are influenced by desire, wrath, covetousness, vanity, insolence, pride, malice and selfishness. The eight weapons are represented by these vices respectively

By using these weapons men, struck with them, move about intoxicated, taking leave of their senses and with their minds bewildered. When pierced by them, men sleep, move about here and there, pass excrete and urine and always weep and laugh,

Arjuna, whose friend is Narayana, the creator of the entire world and its lord and conversant with the nature of all acts, is hard to withstand in battle.

O Bharata, who can are defeat in the three worlds, the heroic Vishnu, having the emblem of a monkey on his banner and none equal to him in battle?

Innumerable are the virtues of the son of Pritha; Janardana excels him however. You know very well Dhananjaya the son of Kunti.

Nara and Narayana, as these two were, so are Arjuna and Keshava; know this O great king, that those two best among men are heroes.

If you know it to be so and do not suspect to mistrust me then adopting a virtuous resolution effect peace with the Pandavas.

And if you think that a rupture with them is not beneficial to you, be peaceful, O foremost among the race of Bharata and do not set your heart on battle.

Your family, O foremost of the Kuru race, is well thought of in this world; let it continue to be so, may good betide you, think of what is good for you.