The Pandavas move to Dvaitavana: Markandeya's visit and Dalbhya's discourse
After Krishna had departed, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, the twins, Krishna, and their priest, ascending costly cars unto which were yoked excellent steeds, together went into the forest. At time of going, they distributed Nishkas of gold and clothes and kine unto Brahmanas versed in Shiksha and Akshara and mantras. Twenty attendants followed them equipped with bows, bowstrings, blazing weapons, shafts and arrows, and engines of destruction. Taking the princess's clothes and the ornaments, the nurses and the maid-servants, Indrasena speedily followed the princes on a car. Then approaching Yudhishthira, the citizens walked round him. The principal Brahmanas of Kurujangala cheerfully saluted him. Together with his brothers, Yudhishthira, on his part, saluted them cheerfully. The illustrious king stopped there a little, beholding the concourse of the inhabitants of Kurujangala. He felt for them as a father feels for his sons, and they too felt for the Kuru chief even as sons feel for their father! That mighty concourse, approaching the Kuru hero, stood around him. Affected, with bashfulness, and with tears in their eyes, they all exclaimed: “Alas! O lord! O Dharma!” They said: “You are the chief of the Kurus, and the king of us, your subjects! Where do you go, leaving all these citizens and the inhabitants of the country, like a father leaving his sons? Fie on the cruel-hearted son of Dhritarashtra! Fie on the evil-minded Shakuni! Fie on Karna! For, those wretches ever wish unto you who are firm in virtue! Having yourself established the unrivalled city of Indraprastha of the splendour of Kailasa itself, where do you go, leaving it! Leaving that peerless palace built by Maya, which possesses the splendour of the palace of the celestials themselves, and is like unto a celestial illusion, ever guarded by the gods, where do you go, O son of Dharma?”
Arjuna knowing the ways of virtue, pleasure, and profit said unto them in a loud voice: “Living in the forest, the king intends to take away the good name of his enemies! Approaching the elders separately, represent unto them what may be for our supreme good!” Upon hearing these words of Arjuna, the Brahmanas and the other orders, saluting him cheerfully walked round the foremost of virtuous men! Bidding farewell unto the Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, Draupadi, and the twins, and commanded by Yudhishthira, they returned to their respective abodes in the kingdom with heavy hearts.
After they had departed, Yudhishthira, unwavering in his promises, addressed all his brothers, saying, “We shall have to dwell in the solitary forest for these twelve years. Search you, therefore, in this mighty forest for some spot abounding in birds, deer, flowers and fruits, beautiful to behold, and auspicious, and inhabited by virtuous persons and where we may dwell pleasantly for all these years!” Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, Arjuna replied unto him: “You have respectfully waited upon all the great and old Rishis. There is nothing unknown to you in the world of men. You have always waited with reverence upon Brahmanas including Dvaipayana and others, and Narada of great ascetic merit, who with senses under control, ever goes to the gates of all the world from the world of the gods unto that of Brahma, including that of the Gandharvas and Apsaras! You know, without doubt, the opinions of the Brahmanas, and, their prowess also! You know what is calculated to do us good! We will live wherever you like! Here is this lake, full of sacred water, called Dvaitavana, abounding with flowers, and delightful to look at, and inhabited by many species of birds. If, O king! it pleases you, here should we like to dwell these twelve years! Think you otherwise?”
Yudhishthira replied: “O Arjuna! What you have said recommends itself to me! Let us go that sacred and celebrated and large lake called Dvaitavana!"
Then Yudhishthira, accompanied by numerous Brahmanas, all went to the sacred lake called Dvaitavana. He was surrounded by numerous Brahmanas, some of whom with sacrificial fire and some without it and some of whom, devoted to the study of the Vedas, lived upon alms or were of the class called Vanaprasthas. The king was also surrounded by hundreds of Mahatmas crowned with ascetic success and of rigid vows. Yudhishthira, setting out with those numerous Brahmanas, entered the sacred and delightful woods of Dvaita. The king saw that mighty forest covered on the close of summer with Salas, palms, mangoes, Madhukas, Nipas, Kadambas, Sarjjas, Arjunas, and Karnikars, many of them covered with flowers. Flocks of peacocks, Datyuhas, Chakoras, Varhins and Kokilas, seated on the tops of the tallest trees of that forest, were pouring forth their mellifluous notes. The king also saw in that forest mighty herds of gigantic elephants huge as the hills, with temporal juice trickling down in the season of rut, accompanied by herds of she-elephants. Approaching the beautiful Sarasvati, the king saw many ascetics crowned with success in the habitations in that forest, and virtuous men of sanctified souls clad in barks of trees and bearing matted locks on their heads. Descending from their cars, the king with his brothers and followers entered that forest like Indra of immeasurable energy entering heaven.
Crowds of Charanas and Siddhas, desirous of beholding the monarch devoted to truth, came towards him. The dwellers of that forest stood surrounding that lion among king possessed of great intelligence. Saluting all the Siddhas, and saluted by them in return as a king or a god should be, Yudhishthira entered the forest with joined hands accompanied by all those foremost of regenerate ones. The illustrious and virtuous king, saluted in return by those virtuous ascetics that had approached him, sat down in their midst at the foot of a mighty tree decked with flowers, like his father in days before. Bhima, Arjuna, the twins and Krishna and their followers, all fatigued, leaving their vehicles, sat themselves down around that best of kings. That mighty tree bent down with the weight of creepers, with those five illustrious bowmen who had come there for rest sitting under it, looked like a mountain with five huge elephants resting on its side.
Markandeya visits the Pandavas in Dvaitavana
Having fallen into distress, the Pandavas thus obtained at last a pleasant habitation in Dvaitavana. There in those woods abounding with Sala trees and washed by the Sarasvati, they began to sport themselves. The illustrious king set himself to please all the Yatis and Munis and the principal Brahmanas in that forest, by offerings of excellent fruits and roots. Their priest, Dhaumya, like unto a father to those princes, began to perform the sacrificial rites of Ishti and Paitreya for the Pandavas residing in that great forest. There came, as a guest, unto the abode of the accomplished Pandavas living in the wood, the old Rishi Markandeya, possessed of intense and abundant energy. Yudhishthira paid his homage unto that great Muni. That Muni beholding Draupadi, Yudhishthira, Bhima, and Arjuna, in the midst of the ascetics, smiled, recollecting Rama in his mind.
Yudhishthira, apparently grieved at this, asked him, saying: “All these ascetics are sorry for seeing me here. Why is it that you alone smile, as if in glee, in the presence of these?”
Markandeya replied: “O child! I too am sorry and I do not smile in glee! Nor does pride born of joy possess my heart! Beholding today the calamity, I recollect Rama, the son of Dasharatha, devoted to truth! Even that Rama, accompanied by Lakshmana, dwelt in the woods at the command of his father. I beheld him in days of old ranging with his bow on the top of the Rishyamuka hills! The illustrious Rama was like unto Indra, the lord of Yama himself, and the slayer of Namuchi! Yet that sinless one had to dwell in the forest at the command of his father, accepting it as his duty. The illustrious Rama was equal unto Indra in prowess, and invincible in battle. Yet he had to range the forest renouncing all pleasures! Therefore should no one act unrighteously, saying, I am mighty! Kings Nabhaga and Bhagiratha and others, having subjugated this world bounded by the seas, obtained all the region hereafter. Therefore, should no one act unrighteously, saying, I am mighty! The virtuous and truthful king of Kashi and Karusha was called a mad dog for having renounced his territories and riches! Therefore, should no one act unrighteously, saying, I am mighty! The seven righteous Rishis, for having observed the ordinance prescribed by the Creator himself in the Vedas, blaze in the firmament. Therefore, should no one act unrighteously, saying, I am mighty!
"Behold the mighty elephants, huge as mountain cliffs and furnished with tusks, transgress not the laws of the Creator! Therefore, should none act unrighteously saying, Might is mine! Behold all the creatures acting according to their species, as ordained by the Creator. Therefore, should none act unrighteously, saying, Might is mine. In truth, virtue, proper behaviour and modesty, you have surpassed all creatures, and your fame and energy are as bright as fire or the Sun! Firm in your promises, having passed in the woods your painful exile, you will again, O king! snatch from the Kauravas your blazing prosperity with the help of your own energy!”
Having spoken these words unto Yudhishthira in the midst of the ascetics with friends, the great Rishi having also saluted Dhaumya and all the Pandavas set out in a northerly direction!
Baka Dalbhya’s discourse
While Yudhishthira continued to dwell in the Dvaita woods, that great forest became filled with Brahmanas. The lake within that forest, ever resounding with Vedic recitations, became sacred like a second region of Brahma. The sounds of the Yajus, the Riks, the Samas, and other words uttered by the Brahmanas, were exceedingly delightful to hear. The Vedic recitations of the Brahmanas mingling with the twang of bows of the Pandavas, produced a union of the Brahmana and Kshatriya customs that was highly beautiful. One evening, the Rishi Baka of the Dalbhya Gotra, addressed Yudhishthira, seated in the midst of the Rishis, saying:
“Behold, O chief of the Kurus! The homa time has come of these Brahmanas devoted to ascetic austerities, the time when the fires have all been lit up! These all, of rigid vows, protected by you, are performing the rites of Dharma in this sacred region! The descendants of Bhrigu and Angiras, along with those of Vasishta and Kashyapa, the illustrious sons of Agastya, the offspring of Atri all of excellent vows, in fact, all the foremost Brahmanas of the whole, are now united with you! Listen, yourself with your brothers, to the words I speak to you! As fire aided by the wind consumes the forest, so Brahma energy, mingling with Kshatriya energy, and Kshatriya might mingling with Brahma power, might, when they gathered force, consume all enemies! He should never desire to be without Brahmanas for long, who wishes to subdue this and the other world! Indeed, a king slays his enemies having obtained a Brahmana conversant with Dharma and worldly affairs and freed from passion and folly. King Bali, cherishing his subjects, practised those duties that lead to salvation, and knew not of any other means in this world than Brahmanas. It was for this that all the desires of the Asura Bali, were gratified, and his wealth was inexhaustible. Having obtained the whole earth through the aid of the Brahmanas, he met with destruction when he began to practise wrong on them! This earth with her wealth never adores as her lord – a Kshatriya living without a Brahmana! The earth, however, bows unto him who is ruled by a Brahmana and taught his duties by him! Like an elephant in battle without his driver, a Kshatriya destitute of Brahmanas decreases in strength! The Brahmana's sight is without compare, and the Kshatriya's might also is unparalleled. When these combine, the whole earth itself cheerfully yields to such a combination. As fire becoming mightier with the wind consumes straw and wood, so kings with Brahmanas consume all foes! An intelligent Kshatriya, in order to gain what he has not, and increase what he has, should take counsel of Brahmanas! Therefore, for obtaining what you have not and increasing what you have, and spending what you have on proper objects and persons, keep with you a Brahmana of reputation, of a knowledge of the Vedas, of wisdom and experience! O Yudhishthira! You have ever highly regarded the Brahmanas. It is for this that your fame is great and blazes in the three worlds!”
Then all those Brahmanas who were with Yudhishthira worshipped Baka of the Dalbhya Gotra, and having heard him praise Yudhishthira became highly pleased. Dvaipayana, Narada, Parashurama and Prithushravas; Indradyumna, Bhalaki, Kritachetas and Sahasrapat; Karnasravas, Munja, Lavanashva and Kashyapa; Harita, Sthulakarana, Agnivesya and Saunaka; Kritavak, Suvakana Brihadaswa and Vibhavasu; Urdharetas, Vrishamitra, Suhotra, and Hotravahana; these and many other Brahmanas of rigid vows then adored Yudhishthira like Rishis adoring Indra in heaven!
