Rajadharmanushasana Parva — The regions which a hero acquires by meeting with death in battle

Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, what regions are earned by unretreating heroes by meeting with death in battle! Bhishma said

'Regarding it, O Yudhishthira, is cited the old story of the discourse between Ambarisha and Indra.

Having gone to heaven that is so difficult of acquisition, Ambarisha, the son of Nabhaga, saw his own commander in chief in those celestial regions in the company of Indra.

The king saw his powerful general shining with every kind of energy, gifted with celestial forin, seated on a very beautiful car, and going up and up towards still higher regions.

Witnessing the prosperity of his general Sudeva, and observing how he passed through regions that were still higher, the great Ambarisha, stricken with wonder addressed Vasava, in the following manner.

Ambarisha said Having properly governed the entire Earth bounded by the oceans, having from desire of acquiring religious merit practised all those duties which are common to the four orders as sanctioned by the scriptures, having practised with rigid austerity all the duties of the Brahmacharya mode, having waited with obedience upon the preceptors and other reverend elders, having studied properly the Vedas and the scriptures treating on royal duties, having pleased the guests with food and drink, the Pitris with offerings in Shraddhas, the Rishis with attentive study of the scriptures and with initiation and the gods with many good and high sacrifices, having duly followed Kshatriya duties according to the injunctions of the scriptures, having looked fearlessly at hostile troops, I acquired many victories in battle, O Vasava.

This Sudeva, O king of the deities, was formerly the commander-in-chief of my army. It is true, he was a warrior of a controlled soul. For what reason, however, has he succeeded in superseding me?

He never adored the gods in high and great sacrifices. He never pleased the Brahmanas according to the ordinance. Why then, has he succeeded in superseding me?

Indra said About this Sudeva, Osire, the great sacrifice of battle had often been performed by him. And such becomes the case with every other man who engages himself in battle.

Every warrior clad a in coat of mail by advancing against enemies in battle, becomes installed in that sacrifice. Indeed, it is settled that such a person, by acting in this wise is regarded as the performer of the sacrifice of battle.

Ambarisha said What are the libations in that sacrifice? What are its liquid offerings? What is its Dakshina? Who, again, are its Ritwijas? Tell me all this, Operformer of a hundred sacrifices.

Elephants are the Ritwijas of that sacrifice, and horses are its Adhyaryus. The flesh of foes are its libations, and blood is its liquid offering.

Jackals, vultures, and ravens, winged arrows are its Sadasyas. These drink the residue of the liquid offering in this sacrifice and eat the remnants of its libations. as also

Masses of blazing, sharp, and welltempered, lances and spears, of swords and darts and axes from the ladles of the sacrificer.

Straight, sharp, and well-tempered shafts, with keen points and capable of piercing the bodies of enemies, shot off well-stretched bows, from its large double mouthed ladles.

Sheathed in scabbard made of tiger-skin and equip with in ivory handle, and capable of cutting off the elephant's trunk, the sword forms the wooden-stick of this sacrifice.

The strokes inflicted with shining and keen lances and darts and swords and axes, all made of hard iron, from its profuse wealth collected from the respectable people by agreement regarding the amount and period.

The blood that runs over the field for the fury of that attack, forms the final libation, which yields great merit and is capable of granting every wish in the Homa of this sacrifice.

'Cut, Pierce,' and such other sounds, that are heard in the front ranks of the army, are the Samans sung by its Vedic chanters in the abode of Yama.

The front ranks of the enemy's army form the vessel for keeping libations. The number of elephant and horses and men equipt with shields form the Shyenachit fire of that sacrifice.

The headless trunks that rise up after thousands have been killed from the octagonal stake, made of Khadira wood, for the hero who celebrates that sacrifice.

The cries of the elephant when urged on with hooks, form its Ida Mantras. The kettledrums, with the striking of palms forming the Vashats, O king, are its Trisaman Udgatri.

When the property of a Brahmana is being taken away, he who renounces his dear body for protecting that property, does, by that act of self-devotion, acquire the merit of a sacrifice accompanied with numberless presents.

That hero, who, for sake of his master, shows prowess at the van of the array and does not retreat through fear, acquires those re of happiness that are mine.

He, who covers the altar of the sacrifice formed by battle, with swords cased in bluescabbards and severed arms resembling heavy bludgeons, acquires the happy regions like mine.

That warrior, who determined upon gaining victory, enters into the midst of the enemy's ranks without waiting for any help, acquires happy regions like mine.

That warrior, who in battle makes a river of blood to flow, dreadful and difficult to cross, having kettle,-drums for its frogs and tortoises, the bones of heroes for its sands, blood and flesh for its mire, swords and shields for its rafts, the hair of killed warriors for its floating weeds and moss, the number of horses and elephants and cars for its bridges, standards and banners for its bushes of cane, the bodies of killed elephants for its boats and huge alligators, swords and scimitars for its larger vessels, vultures and Kankas and ravens for the rafts that float upon it,—that warrior, who causes such a river, which can with difficulty be crossed by even those who are courageous and powerful and which terrorises all timid men, is said to complete the sacrifice by performing the final ablutions.

That hero, whose altar is covered with the heads of foes, of horses, and of elephants, acquires regions of felicity like mine.

The sages have said that warrior, who considers the van of the hostile army as the quarters of his wives, who regards the van of his own army as the vessel for the preservation of sacrificial offerings, who takes the warriors standing to his south for his courtiers and those to this north as his holders of fire, and who regards the hostile army as his married wife, succeeds in acquiring all regions of felicity.

The open space, lying between two armies drawn up for fight, forms the altar of such as sacrificer, and the three Vedas are his three sacrificial fires. Upon that altar, helped by the recitation of the Vedas, he celebrates his sacrifice.

That infamous warrior, who retreating from the fight in fear, is killed by foes, sinks into hell. There is no doubt in this.

That warrior, on the other hand, whose blood drenches the sacrificial altar already covered with hair and flesh and bones, forsooth, succeeds in acquiring a glorious end.

That powerful warrior, who, having killed the commander of the hostile army, gets upon the car of his fallen antagonist, is considered as powerful as Vishnu himself and as intelligent as Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods.

That warrior, who can capture alive the commander of the hostile army or his son or some other respected leader, acquires regions of felicity like mine.

One should never lament for a hero killed in battle. A killed hero, if nobody grieves for him, goes to heaven and acquires the respect of its residents.

Men do not wish to give food and drink. Nor do they bathe nor enter into mourning for him. Listen to me as I describe the happiness that is in store for such a person.

Thousands of leading nymphs, go out speedily coveting him for their lord. That Kshatriya, who duly observes his duty in battle, wins by that act the merits of penances and of righteousness. Indeed, such conduct on his part is quite of a piece with the eternal path of duty. Such a man acquires the merits of all the four modes of life.

The aged and the children should not be killed; nor a woman nor one who is flying away; nor one that holds a straw in his lips (sign of unconditional surrender); nor one who says—I am yours.

Having killed in battle Jambha, Vritra, Vala, Paka, Shatamaya, Virochana, the irresistible Namuchi, Shamvara of numberless illusions, Viprachitti.—all these sons of Diti and Danu,-as also Prahlada, I myself have become the king of the gods.

Bhishma continued Hearing these words of Shakra and approving of them, king Ambarisha understood how warriors succeed in achieving success for themselves.