SECTION LXIX
"Vyasa said, 'Hearing this sacred history of sixteen kings, capable of
enhancing the period of life (of the listener), king Srinjaya remained
silent without saying anything. The illustrious Rishi Narada then said
unto him thus sitting silent, 'O you of great splendour, hast you heard
those histories recited by me, and hast you caught their purport? Or,
are all these lost like Sraddha as performed by a person of regenerate
classes having a Sudra wife?' Thus addressed, Srinjaya then replied with
joined hands, 'O you that hast wealth of asceticism, having listened to
these excellent and praiseworthy histories of ancient royal sages, all of
whom had performed great sacrifices with profuse presents unto the
Brahmanas, my grief hath all been dispelled by wonder, like the darkness
that is dispelled by the rays of the sun. I have now been cleansed of my
sins, and I do not feel any pain now. Tell me, what shall I do now?'
"Narada said, 'By good luck it is that your grief hath been dispelled.
Solicit you the boon that you desirest. Thou wilt obtain all you mayst
ask. We never say what is not true.'
"Srinjaya said, 'I am happy with even this, viz., that thou, O holy one,
art gratified with me. He with whom thou, O holy one, are gratified, hath
nothing unobtainable here.'
"Narada said, 'I will once more give you your son who was fruitlessly
slain by the robbers, like an animal, slaughtered in sacrifice, taking
him out of terrible hell.'
"Vyasa said, 'Then the son of Srinjaya, of wonderful splendour, appeared,
that child resembling the son of Kuvera himself, bestowed by the
gratified Rishi (on the bereaved father). And king Srinjaya, once more
meeting with his son, became highly delighted. And he performed many
meritorious sacrifices, giving away profuse sacrificial presents upon
completion. Srinjaya's son had not fulfilled the purposes of his being.
He had performed no sacrifice and had no children. Destitute of bravery,
he had perished miserably and not in battle. It was for this reason that
he could be brought back into life.[123] As regards Abhimanyu, he was
brave and heroic. He hath fulfilled the purposes of life, for the brave
son of Subhadra, having blasted his foes by thousands, hath left the
world, falling in the field of battle. Those inaccessible regions that
are attainable by Brahmacharya, by knowledge, by acquaintance with the
scriptures, by foremost of sacrifices, even, these have been obtained by
thy son. Men of knowledge always desire heaven by their righteous deeds.
They that are living in heaven never prefer this world to heaven.
Therefore, it is not easy for any desirable thing that might have been
unattained by him to bring back into the world Arjuna's son slain in
battle and now residing in heaven. Thy son has attained to that eternal
goal which is attained by yogins with eyes shut in contemplation or by
performers of great sacrifices, or people possessed of great ascetic
merit. After death, attaining a new body that hero is shining like a king
in his own immortal rays. Indeed, Abhimanyu has once more got his own
body of lunar essence that is desirable by all regenerate persons. He
deserveth not your grief.[124] Knowing this, be quiet, and slay your foes.
Let fortitude be thine. O sinless one, it is the living that stand in
need of our grief, and not they that have attained to heaven. His sins
increase, O king, for whom, the living grieve. Therefore, he that is
wise, abandoning grief, should strive for (the) benefit (of the dead).
The living man should think of the joy, the glory, and the happiness (of
the dead). Knowing this, the wise never indulge in grief, for grief is
painful. Know this to be true. Rise up! Strive (to achieve your purpose).
Do not grieve. Thou hast heard of the origin of Death, and her unexampled
penances, as also the impartiality of her behaviour towards all
creatures. Thou hast heard that prosperity is unstable. Thou hast heard
how the dead son of Srinjaya was revived. O learned king, do not grieve.
Peace be to thee, I go!'--Having said this, the holy Vyasa disappeared
then and there. Upon the departure of that master of speech, that
foremost of intelligent persons, viz., the holy Vyasa, whose colour was
like that of the clouded sky, Yudhishthira, having derived consolation in
consequence of what he had heard about the sacrificial merit and
prosperity of these great monarchs of olden times, possessed of energy
equal to that of the great Indra himself and all of whom had acquired
wealth by righteous means, mentally applauded those illustrious persons
and became freed from grief. Once more, however, with a melancholy heart
he asked himself, saying, 'What shall we say unto Dhananjaya?'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 7 : UPA-PARVA 69 ---------------------
