आश्रमवासिक पर्व — राजा के दर्शन को तपस्वियों का आगमन

Vaishampayana said Those foremost of ascetics, viz., Narada, Parvata and Devala of Austere penances, came there to see king Dhritarashtra.

The Island-born Vyasa with all his disciples, and other persons gifted success, and the royal sage Shatayupa of advanced years and possessed of greit merit, also came.

Kunti adored them with due rites, O king. All those ascetics were highly pleased with the adorations offered to them.

Those great Rishis pleased the high souled king Dhritarashtra with discourses on religion and virtue.

At the conclusion of their converse, the celestial Rishi Narada, seeing all things as objects of direct perception, said the following words.

Narada said There was king of the Kaikeyas, possessed of great prosperity and perfectly fearless. His name was Sahasrachitya and he was the grandfather of the Shatayupa.

Resigning his kingdoin to his highly virtuous eldest Soil, the virtuous king Sahasrachitya retired into the forest.

Reaching the other end of blazing penances, that king, gifted with great splendour, attained to the region of Purandara where he continued to live in his company.

On many occasions, while visiting the region of Indra, O king, I saw that monarch, whose sins had all been consumed by penances, living in Indra's palace.

Similarly, king Shailya, the grandfather of Bhagadatta, attained to the region of Indra by the power alone of his penances.

There was another king, O monarch, of the name of Prishadhra who resembled the holder of the thunder-bolt himself. That king also by his penances proceeded from the Earth to the celestial region.

In this very forest, o king, that king, viz., Purukutsa, the son of Mandhatri, acquired great Success.

That foremost of rivers, viz., Narmada, became the consort of that king. Having practised penances in this very forest, that king procceded to the celestial region.

There was another king, highly righteous, of the name of Shashaloman. He, too, performed severe austerities in this forest and then ascended to the celestial region.

You also, O monarch, having arrived at this forest, shall, through the grace of the Islandborn, attain to a very high cnd and which is difficult of attainment.

You also. O foremost of kings, at the termination of your penances, shall become gifted with great prosperity and, accompanied by Gandhari, attain to the end reached by those great ones.

Living in the presence of the destroyer of Vala, Pandu thinks of you always. He will, O monarch, certainly assist you in the attainment of Prosperity.

Through serving you and Gandhari, this daughter-in-law of yours, possessed of great fame, will attain to residence with her husband in the other world.

She is the mother of Yudhishthria who is the eternal Dharma. We see all this, O king, with out spiritual vision.

Vidura will enter into the high souled Yudhishthira. Sanjaya also, through meditation, will ascend from this world into the celestial region.

Vaishampayana said That great chief of Kuru's race, endued with learning, having, with his wife, heard these words of Narada, praised them and adored Narada with unprecedented honors.

The assembly of Brahmanas there present became filled with great joy, and desirous of pleasing king Dhritarashtra, o monarch, themselves worshipped Narada with great respect.

Those foremost of twice-born persons also lauded the words of Narada. Then the royal sage Shatayupa, addressing Narada, said, Your holy self has increased the devotion of the Kuru king, of all those people here, and of myself also, O you of great splendour.

I wish to ask you something. Listen to me as I say it. It is about king, Dhritarashtra,O celestial Rishi, that are adored of all the worlds.

You know the truth of every affair. Gifted with celestial vision, you behold, O twice-born Rishi, what the various ends are of human beings.

You have said what the end has been of the kings mentioned by you, viz., association with the king of the celestials. You have not, however, O great Rishi, decured what those regions are which will be acquired by this king.

O powerful one, I wish to hear from you what region will be acquired by the royal Dhritarashtra. You should tell me truly the kind of region that will be his and the time when he will attain to it.

Thus addressed by him, Narada of celestial vision and endued with austere penances, said in the midst of the assembly these words highly agreeable to the minds of all.

Going at my will to the palace of Shakra, I have seen Shakara the lord of Sachi; and there, O royal sage, I have seen king Pandu.

There is a talk arose, O monarch, about this Dhritarashtra and those highly austere penaces which he is performing.

There I heard from the lips of Shakra himself that there are three years yet of the period of life of this king.

After that, king Dhritarashtra, accompanied by his wife Gandhari, will go to the regions of Kubera and be highly honored by that king of kings. He will go there on a car moving at his will, his his body adorned with celestial ornaments.

He is the son of a Rishi; he is highly blessed; he has exhausted all his sins by his penances. Gifted with a righteous soul, he will roam at will through the regions of the celestials, the Gandharvas, and the Rakshasas. That about which you have enquired, is a mystery to the gods. Through my affection for you, I have said this high truth.

You all are possessed of the wealth of Shrutis and have burnt all your sins by your penances.

Vaishampayana said Hearing these sweet words of the celestial Rishi, all the persons there assembled, as also king Dhritarastra became greatly pleased.

Having cheered Dhritarashtra of great wisdom with such talk, they left the place, going away by the path that belongs to those who are crowned with success.