सम्भव पर्व — पाण्डु र पृथाको संवाद

Vaishampayana said : That greatly powerful man (Pandu; was there engaged in the best of asceticism) and he soon became the favorite of all the Siddhas and Charanas.

O descendant of the Bharata race, he was devoted to the service of his preceptors; he was free from vanity; he was self controlled and master over his passions. The powerful man went to heaven by his own prowess.

He became the brother of some and the friend of others, the others again treated him as their own son.

O best of the Bharata race, after a long time Pandu acquired those great and sinless ascetic merits, by which he became like a Brahmarshi.

On a new moon day the Rishis of rigid vows assembled together and were about to start with the desire of seeing Brahma.

Seeing the Rishis about to start, Pandu said, "O best of eloquent men, tell me where you are going."

The Rishi said : There will be a great assemblage of highsouled celestial Rishis and Pitris in the abode of Brahma. We shall go there; we are desirous of seeing the self created (Brahma).

Vaishampayana said : Pandu suddenly rose with the desire of going with the Rishis and reaching the heaven. When he was about to start with his two wives in a northerly direction from the mountains with the hundred peaks, the ascetics addressed him thus.

"In our northward march, ascending the king of mountains, higher and higher we have seen many delightful and inaccessible regions, on the breast of the hill. (We have seen) the retreats of the celestials, Gandharvas and Apsaras, with hundreds of places resounding with the sweet note of celestial music. (We have seen) the gardens of Kubera, laid out on even and uneven grounds.

(We have seen) the banks of great rivers and mountain caverns. There are regions (on that mountain) everlastingly covered with snow and devoid of birds and beasts and trees.

There are some places, where are very dangerous caves that they are perfectly inaccessible and unfit for habitation. Not to speak of other creatures, even birds can not cross them.

"The only thing that can go there is air and only beings, Siddhas and great Rishis. O best of the Bharata race, these princesses are unaccustomed to hardship; how will they ascend those heights of the king of mountains? Therefore, do not come with us.'

Pandu said: O greatly fortunate ones, it is said that there is no heaven for a sonless. I am sonless. I speak to you in sorrow. O great ascetics, I am sorry, because I have not been able to free myself from the debt I owe to my forefathers.

In the dissolution of my body, my ancestors are sure to perish. Men are born in this world with four debts.

(The name of debts) namely the debts due to the ancestors, the celestials, the Rishis and other men. They must be discharged with virtue. It has been established by the learned men that no regions of bliss exist for those who neglect to pay in due time these debts. The celestial are paid (gratified) by sacrifices, the Rishis by study and meditation.

The Pitris by begetting children and performing Shraddha and the other men by humanity and kindness, I have virtuously discharged my debts to the celestials, Rishis and other men. But there are those (Pitris) who are sure to perish at the dissolution of my body. O ascetics, I am not as yet free from the debt I owe to my ancestors.

The best of men were born to beget children to discharge that debt. As I was begotten by the great Rishi on the field of my father, so should children be begotten on my soil (wives).

The Rishis said : O virtuous minded man, O king, there is progeny for you that will be sinless, greatly fortunate and like the celestial themselves. We see this with our prophetic eyes. O best of kings, therefore, accomplish the purposes of the celestials by your acts.

The intelligent man who acts with deliberation always obtains good fruits. Therefore, O king, you should exert yourself. The fruits you will obtain is visible. You will surely obtain accomplished and agreeable sons.

Vaishampayana said : Having heard these words of the ascetics and remembering the loss of his procreative power owing to the curse of the deer, Pandu began to reflect. He told his lawfully wedded wife, illustrious Kunti, in private, “Try to raise offspring at this emergency.

O Kunti, the wise expounders of the eternal religion say that son is the source of virtuous fame in the three worlds, Sacrifices, gifts in charity, ascetic penances and carefully observed vows, do not free a sonless man from his sins.

O lady of sweet smiles, knowing all this, I am certain that sonless as I am, I shall not obtain the regions of felicity.

O timid lady, as I was formerly addicted to cruel acts and led a vicious life, I have lost my power of procreation by the curse of the deer.

O Pritha, the religious books mention of six kinds of sons who are both heirs and kinsmen and six kinds more who are not heirs, but kinsmen. I shall speak of them; listen to me.

(They are), Aurasa (the son begotten by one's own self on his own wife), Pranita (the son begotten on one's own wife by an accomplished person), Parikrita (the son begotten on one's wife by a man for a pecuniary consideration), Paunarbhava (the son begotten on a wife after her husband's death), Kanin (the son born in the maidenhood), Kunda (the son born of a women who had intercourse with four persons), Datta (the son given by another), Krita (the son bought from another), Upakrita (the son coming to one out of gratitude), Svayam upagata (the son coming himself to give him away), Sahodha (the son born of a pregnant bride), Hina Yonidhrita (the son born of a wife of a lower caste.)

On the failure of getting offspring of the first class, the mother should try to get the offspring of the next class and so on. At the time of emergency (failure of offspring), men raise up sons by their accomplished younger brothers.

O Pritha, the self created Manu has said that men, failing to obtain son of their own, might raise up excellent virtue giving sons by others.

As I am destitute of the power of procreation, I command you to raise illustrious offspring by some men equal or superior to me.

O Kunti, hear the history of that wife of a hero, the daughter of Sharadandayana, who raised offspring at the command of her lord.

O Kunti, after the bath when her season came, she went in the night to a place where four roads met. Worshipping a Brahmana who was crowned with ascetic success, she poured libations in the fire of Punsavana.

After performing this, she lived with him; and thus were begotten on her three sons, Durjaya being the eldest.

O greatly fortunate lady, like her you too at my command raise offspring by some Brahmana who is superior to me in ascetic merits.