Vibhishana

Many of the references to Lanka in the Mahabharata are found in sage Markandeya's narration of the story of Rama and Sita to king Yudhishthira, which narration amounts to a truncated version of the Ramayana. The references in the following summary are to the Mahabharata, and adhere to the following form: (book:section). Markandeya's narration of the story begins at Book III (Varna Parva), Section 271 of the Mahabharata.

Sahadeva's expedition to South

The son of Pandu, viz. Sahadeva, conquered the town of Sanjayanti and the country of the Pashandas and the Karanatakas by means of his messengers alone, and made all of them pay tributes to him. The hero brought under his subjection and exacted tributes from the Paundrayas (Pandyas?) and the Dravidas along with the Udrakeralas and the Andhras and the Talavanas, the Kalingas and the Ushtrakarnikas, and also the delightful city of Atavi and that of the Yavanas. And, He having arrived at the seashore, then dispatched with great assurance messengers unto the illustrious Vibhishana, the grandson of Pulastya and the ruler of Lanka(2:30).

Ghatotkacha  
 

Vibheeshana is chiranjeevi and is still ruling Lanka ,as 5150 years ago when Rajsuya yagnya was performed by Yudhisthira , to conquer entire universe , even lanka had to be conquered , since Lord Rama had devised a boulder to prevent others/humans entering Lanka , Ghatotkacha son of Bheema goes aerially and asks Vibheeshana to accept superiority of Pandavas as an order from Krishna who is none other than Rama of tretayuga.

 

Presence of the King of Lanka in Yudhisthira's Rajasuya

Lanka king is listed as present in the conclave of kings present in Pandava king Yudhisthira's Rajasuya sacrifice.

.. The Vangas and Angas and Paundras and Odras and Cholas and Dravidas and Cheras and Pandyas and Mushika and Andhakas, and the chiefs of many islands and countries on the seaboard as also of frontier states, including the rulers of the Sinhalas, the barbarous mlecchas, the natives of Lanka, and all the kings of the West by hundreds, and all the chiefs of the seacoast, and the kings of the Pahlavas and the Daradas and the various tribes of the Kiratas and Yavanas and Sakrasand the Harahunas and Chinas and Tukharas and the Sindhavas and the Jagudas and the Ramathas and the Mundas and the inhabitants of the kingdom of women and the Tanganas and the Kekayas and the Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira ... (3:51).

Other fragmentary references

• Lanka, with its warriors, and horses, elephants and chariots (3:149).
• Lanka with its towers and ramparts and gates (3:147)
• The walls of Lanka (3:282).

Pilibhit

It is believed by locals that Pilibhit was ruled by an ancient king named Mayurdhwaj or Moredhwaj or King Venu, a great devotee of lord Krishna and a loyal friend of Arjun. King Venu's name and the geography of his kingdom can be traced in the Hindu epic Mahabharat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilibhit

Janardana

"Sanjaya said, 'Knowing the feat that Karna desired to achieve, the slayer of Madhu, the mighty-armed Janardana, O king, commanded the prince of the Rakshasas, Ghatotkacha of mighty energy, to engage in single combat with Karna for rendering, O monarch, the latter's fatal dart fruitless. All this, O king, is the result of thy evil policy! We would certainly have achieved success, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, if Krishna had not (thus) rescued the mighty car-warrior Partha from Karna's hands. Indeed, Partha would have been destroyed with his steeds, standard, and car, in battle, Oh Dhritarashtra, if that master, that lord of Yogins, viz., Janardana had not saved him. Protected by diverse means, O king, and well-aided by Krishna, Partha approaching his foes, vanquished that fatal dart, otherwise that weapon would have quickly destroyed the son of Kunti like the lightning destroying a tree.'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'My son is fond of quarrel. His advisers are foolish. He is vain of his wisdom. It is for that, that this certain means of Arjuna's death hath been baffled. Why, O Suta, did not Duryodhana, or that foremost of all wielders, viz., Karna, possessed of great intelligence,

hurl that fatal dart at Dhananjaya? Why, O son of Gavalgana, didst thou too forget this great object, possessed as thou art of great wisdom, or why didst not thou remind Karna of it?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Indeed, O king, every night this formed the subject of deliberation with Duryodhana and Sakuni and myself and Duhsasana. And we said unto Karna, 

'Excluding all other warriors, O Karna, slay Dhananjaya. We would then lord it over the Pandu's and the Panchalas as if these were our slaves. Or, if upon Partha's fall, he of Vrishni's race appoints another amongst the sons of Pandu (in this place for carrying on the fight), let Krishna himself be slain. 

Krishna is the root of the Pandavas, and 

Partha is like their risen trunk. 

The other sons of Pritha are like their branches, 

while the Panchalas may be called their leaves. 

The Pandavas have Krishna for their refuge, Krishna for their might, Krishna for their leader. Indeed, Krishna is their central support even as the moon is of the constellations. Therefore, O Suta's son, avoiding the leaves and branches and trunk, slay that Krishna who is everywhere and always the root of the Pandavas. 

Indeed, if Karna had slain him of Dasarha's race, viz., that delighter of the Yadavas, the whole earth, O king, would, without doubt, have come under thy control. Truly, O monarch, if that illustrious one, that delighter of both the Yadavas and the Pandavas, could be made to lie down on the earth, deprived of life, then certainly, O monarch, the entire earth with the mountains and forests would have owned thy supremacy. 

We rose every morning, having formed such a resolution in respect of that Lord of the very gods, viz., Hrishikesa of immeasurable energy. At the time of battle, however, we forget our resolution. 

Kesava always protected Arjuna, the son of Kunti. He never placed Arjuna before the Suta's son in battle. Indeed, Achyuta always placed other foremost of car-warriors before Karna, thinking how that fatal dart of ours might be made fruitless by ourselves. O lord! When, again, the high-souled Krishna protected Partha in this manner from Karna, why, O monarch, would not that foremost of beings protect his own self? Reflecting well, I see that there is no person in the three worlds who is able to vanquish that chastiser of foes, viz., Janardana, that hero bearing the discus in hand.'

"Sanjaya continued, 'That tiger among car-warriors, viz., Satyaki of prowess incapable of being baffled, asked the mighty-armed Krishna about the great car-warrior, Karna, saving, 'O Janardana, even this had been Karna's firm resolution, viz., that he would hurl that dart of immeasurable energy at Phalguna. Why, however, did not the Suta's son actually hurt it then at him?'

"Vasudeva said, 

1. 'Duhsasana and 
2. Karna and 
3. Sakuni and 
4. the ruler of the Sindhus, 
5. with Duryodhana at their head, 

had frequently debated on this subject.

Addressing Karna, they used to say, 'O Karna. O great bowman, O thou of immeasurable prowess in battle, O foremost of all victors, this dart should not be hurled at any one else than that great car-warrior, viz., Kunti's son, Partha or Dhananjaya. He is the most celebrated amongst 

them, like Vasava amongst the gods. He being slain, all the other Pandavas with the Srinjayas will be heartless like fireless celestials! ' 

Karna having assented to this, saying 'So be it' (the desire of) slaughtering the wielder of Gandiva, O bull amongst the Sinis, was ever present in Karna's heart. 

I, however, O foremost of warriors, always used to stupefy the son of Radha. It was for this that he did not hurl the dart at Pandu's son, owning white steeds. As long as I could not baffle that means of Phalguna's death, I had neither sleep, nor joy in my heart, O foremost of warriors! Beholding that dart, therefore, rendered futile through Ghatotkacha, O bull amongst the Sinis, I regarded Dhananjaya today to have been rescued from within the jaws of Death. 

I do not regard 

1. my sire, 
2. my mother, 
3. yourselves, 
4. my brothers, 
5. ay, - Others
6. my very life, 

so worthy of protection as Vibhatsu in battle. If there be anything more precious than the sovereignty of the three worlds, I do not, O Satwata, desire (to enjoy) it without Pritha's son, Dhananjaya (to share it with me). Beholding Dhananjaya, therefore, like one returned from the dead, these transports of delight, O Yuyudhana, have been mine. It was for this that I had despatched the Rakshasa unto Karna for battle. None else was capable of withstanding, in the night, Karna in battle.'

"Sanjaya continued, 'Even thus did Devaki's son who is ever devoted to Dhananjaya's good and to what is agreeable to him, speak unto Satyaki on that occasion.'"

 "Dhritarashtra said, 'I see, O sire, that this act of Karna and Duryodhana and Suvala's son, Sakuni, and of thyself, in especial, hath been very much against the dictates of policy. Indeed, when you knew that dart could always slay one person in battle, and that it was incapable of being either borne or baffled by the very gods with Vasava at their head, why then, O Sanjaya, was it not hurled by Karna at Devaki's son, or Phalguna, while he was engaged with this in battle before?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Returning from battle every day, O monarch, all of us, O foremost one of Kuru's race, used to debate in the night and say unto Karna. Tomorrow morning, O Karna, this dart should be hurled at either Kesava or Arjuna.' 

When, however, the morning came, O king, through destiny, both Karna and the other warriors forgot that resolution. I think destiny to be supreme, since Karna, with that dart in his hands, did not slay in battle either Partha or Devaki's son, Krishna. Indeed, because his understanding was afflicted by destiny itself, it is for this that he did not, stupefied by the illusion of the gods, hurl that fatal dart of Vasava, though he had it in his hand, at Devaki's son, Krishna for his destruction or at Partha endued with prowess like Indra's, O lord!'

"Dhritarashtra said, 

1. 'Ye are destroyed by destiny, 
2. by your own understanding, and 
3. by Kesava. 

Vasava's dart is lost, having effected the slaughter of Ghatotkacha who was as insignificant as straw. Karna, and my sons, as all the other kings, through his highly impolitic act, have already entered the abode of Yama.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07179.htm

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07180.htm

Commander in Chief

"Vaisampayana said,

'Hearing these words of Janardana, king Yudhishthira the Just, of virtuous soul, addressed his brothers in the presence of Kesava and said,

 'Ye have heard all that had happened in the court of the assembled Kurus. Ye have also understood the words uttered by Kesava. Ye, best of men, draw up, therefore, my troops now in battle-array in which they are to fight.

Here are seven Akshauhinis of troops assembled for our victory. Hear the names of those seven celebrated warriors that would lead those seven Akshauhinis. They are

1. Drupada, and 
2. Virata, and 
3. Dhristadyumna, and 
4. Sikhandin, and 
5. Satyaki, 
6. Chekitana, and 
7. Bhimasena of great energy. Those heroes will be the leaders of my troops.

All of them are

1. conversant with the Vedas. 
2. Endued with great bravery,

All of them have

1. practised excellent vows. 
2. Possessed of modesty, 

All of them are

1. conversant with policy, and 
2. accomplished in war. 
3. Well-skilled in arrows and weapons, all of them are 
4. competent in the use of every kind of weapon.

Tell us now, O Sahadeva, O son of Kuru's race, who that warrior, is conversant with all kinds of battle-array, that may become the leader of these seven and may also withstand in battle Bhishma who is like unto a fire having arrows for its flames. Give us thy own opinion, O tiger among men, as who is fit to be our generalissimo.'

"Sahadeva said,

 'Closely related to us, sympathising with us in our distress, endued with great might, conversant with every virtue, skilled in weapons, and irresistible in battle, the mighty king of the Matsyas, Virata, relying upon whom we hope to recover our share of the kingdom, will be able to bear in battle both Bhishma and all those mighty car-warriors.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'After Sahadeva had said this, eloquent Nakula then said these words,

'He that in years, in knowledge of scriptures, in perseverance, in family and birth, is respectable; he that is endued with modesty, strength, and prosperity; he that is well-versed in all branches of learning; he that studied the science of weapons (with the sage Bharadwaja); he, who is irresistible and firmly devoted to truth; he that always challenges Drona and mighty Bhishma; he that belongs to one of the foremost of royal houses; he that is a famous leader of hosts; he that resembles a tree of hundred branches in consequence of sons and grandsons that surround him; that king, who, with his wife, performed, moved by wrath, the austerest of penances for the destruction of Drona; that hero, who is an ornament of assemblies; that bull among monarchs who always cherishes us like a father; that father-in-law of ours, Drupada, should be our generalissimo. It is my opinion that he will be able to withstand both Drona and Bhishma rushing to battle, for that king is the friend of Angira's descendant Drona and is conversant with celestial weapons.'

'After the two sons of Madri had thus expressed their individual opinions, Vasava's son, Savyasachin, who was equal to Vasava himself, said these words,

'This celestial person of the hue of fire and endued with mighty arms, who sprang into life through the power of ascetic penances and the gratification of sages; who issued from the sacrificial fire-hole armed with bow and sword, accoutred in armour of steel, mounted on a car unto which were yoked excellent steeds of the best breed, and the clatter of whose car-wheels was as deep as the roar of mighty masses of clouds; this hero endued with that energy and strength and resembling the very lion in his frame of body and prowess, and possessed of leonine shoulders, arms, chest, and voice like the lion's roar; this hero of great effulgence; this warrior of handsome brows, fine teeth, round cheeks, long arms, of stout make, excellent thighs, large expansive eyes, excellent legs, and strong frame; this prince who is incapable of being penetrated by weapons of any kind, and who looks like an elephant with rent temples; this Dhrishtadyumna, truthful in speech, and with passions under control, was born for the destruction of Drona. It is this Dhrishtadyumna, I think, that will be able to bear Bhishma's arrows which strike with the vehemence of the thunderbolt and look like snakes with blazing mouths, which resemble the messengers of Yama in speed, and fall like flames of fire (consuming everything they touch), and which were borne before by Rama alone in battle. I do not, O king, see the man except Dhrishtadyumna, who is able to withstand Bhishma of great vows. This is just what I think. Endued with great lightness of hand and conversant with all the modes of warfare, accoutred in coat of mail that is incapable of being penetrated by weapons, this handsome hero, resembling the leader of a herd of elephants, is according to my opinion, fit to be our generalissimo.'

"Bhima then said, 'That son of Drupada, Sikhandin, who is born for the destruction of Bhishma, as is said, 'O king, by the sages and Siddhas assembled together, whose form on the field of battle, while displaying celestial weapons, will be seen by men to resemble that of the illustrious Rama himself, I see not, O king, the person who is able to pierce with weapons that Sikhandin, when he is stationed for battle on his car, accoutred in mail. Except the heroic Sikhandin, there is no other warrior who is able to slay Bhishma in single combat. It is for this, O king, that I think Sikhandin is fit to be our generalissimo.'

"Yudhishthira said,

'O sire, the strength and weakness, might and feebleness, of everything in the universe, and the intentions of every person here, are well-known to virtuous Kesava. Skilled or unskilled in weapons, old or young, let him be the leader of my forces, who may be indicated by Krishna of Dasarha's race. Even he is the root of our success or defeat. In him are our

1. lives, 
2. kingdom, 
3. prosperity and 
4. adversity, 
5. happiness and 
6. misery.

Even he is the Ordainer and Creator. In him is established the fruition of our desires. Let him, therefore, be the leader of our host, who may be named by Krishna. Let that foremost of speakers say, for the night approacheth. Having selected our leader, worshipped our weapons with offerings of flowers and perfumes, we will, at day-break, under Krishna's orders march to the field of battle!'

"Vaisampayana continued,

'Hearing these words of the intelligent king, Yudhishthira the Just, the lotus-eyed Krishna said, eyeing Dhananjaya, the white, O king, I fully approve of all those powerful warriors whom ye have named for becoming the leaders of thy troops. All of them are competent to withstand thy foes. Indeed, they can frighten Indra himself in great battle, let alone the covetous and wicked-minded sons of Dhritarashtra. O thou of mighty arms, for thy good I made great efforts to prevent the battle by bringing about peace. By that we have been freed from the debt we owed to virtue. Fault-finding persons will not be able to reproach us for anything. Foolish Duryodhana, destitute of understanding, regardeth himself as skilled in weapons, and though really weak thinketh himself to be possessed of strength. Array thy troops soon, for slaughter is the only means by which they can be made to yield to our demands. Indeed, the sons of Dhritarashtra will never be able to keep their ground when they will behold Dhananjaya with Yuyudhana as his second, and Abhimanyu, and the five sons of Draupadi, and Virata, and Drupada, and the other kings of fierce prowess,--all lords of Akshauhinis. Our army is possessed of great strength, and is invincible and incapable of being withstood. Without doubt, it will slay the Dhartarashtra host. As regards our leader, I would name that chastiser of foes, Dhrishtadyumna.'"

Sacred Text
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05151.htm

Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhrishtadyumna

Tube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Dhrishtadyumna

Slides
http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=Dhrishtadyumna

jealous

http://longestepic.blogspot.com/search/label/Ekalavya

Dream

After consoling his sister, Subhadra, Lord Krishna returned to Kurukshetra and entered Arjuna's tent. At that time Arjuna offered his daily worship to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He brought all kinds of auspicious articles and worshiped the Lord to his full satisfaction. After smearing His body with scented oils and adorning Him with flower garlands, Arjuna sat down beside his dear friend. Krishna then said, "Lay down and sleep soundly for tomorrow there will be a great battle. I will now go to My own tent." Saying this much Lord Krishna went to take rest for the night. He was accompanied by His chariot driver Daruka.

When half the night had passed, Lord Krishna was still awake talking with Daruka. He said, "O Daruka, Arjuna has vowed to kill Jayadratha before the sun sets tomorrow. For protecting Jayadratha, Drona will arrange the troops in such a way that it will be impossible to come near him. It will be difficult to slay one who is protected by Dronacharya. Therefore, I will, if necessary, do the needful so that Arjuna can fulfill his vow. I will not be able to live on earth without Arjuna. Taking up my weapons, I will kill Karna and Duryodhana along with all their forces. He who hates Arjuna, hates Me, and he that is a friend to Arjuna, is also a friend to Me. O Daruka, when the morning comes, equip My chariot

1. with the Kamodaki mace, 
2. the Sarnga bow and 
3. My Sudarshana discus. 

Also yoke My horses, 

1. Sugriva, 
2. Meghapuspa, 
3. Balahaka and 
4. Saivya to My chariot and make sure they are cased in golden mail. 

Upon hearing the blast of My Panchajanya conchshell on the Rishava note, you will come to Me quickly. I will then proceed to kill Jayadratha in the presence of all the Kauravas." 

 

Daruka replied, "Arjuna will be certainly victorious tomorrow for You, my Lord, are is his charioteer. However, I will do as You have commanded me and ready Your chariot."

Meanwhile, as Arjuna lay on his bed, he was contemplating the next days activities. As he thought deeply of Lord Krishna, he fell asleep. He then had a dream, and in that dream, Lord Krishna came to him. "You possess the weapon given by Lord Shiva," He said. "It is called the Pashupatra astra. However, you do not know how to use this weapon. Let us go together to Lord Shiva's abode and receive instructions on how this weapon may be implored to kill Jayadratha." Taking Arjuna by the hand, Lord Krishna took him to Kailasa. Passing through many beautiful regions, those two heroes, Nara and Narayana, finally came to the abode of Lord Shiva. Upon seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva offered his obeisances. Lord Krishna is the source of all the devas including Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. After offering his worship to Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva inquired from them, "You are both welcome here. Please tell me the reason for your journey, for I will satisfy your desires, and grant whatever you wish."

"You have previously given me the celestial weapon Pashupatra astra," Arjuna replied. "I now desire to learn how to use this powerful weapon."

 Hearing Arjuna's desire, Lord Shiva said, "I will grant your request. Just near here is a lake full of amrita (nectar). This is where I keep my celestial bow and arrows. Go there and bring them to me."

Lord Krishna and Arjuna then went to the lake, and in the water they saw two snakes spitting fire and poison. They approached those snakes chanting prayers to Lord Shiva. As they came closer, the two snakes turned into a bow and arrow. Arjuna then took the bow and arrow and returned to Lord Shiva. While glancing at the bow, Lord Shiva produced a brahmachary from the sides of his body. That brahmachary, who was bluish in complexion, then took the bow and strung it. Placing his feet properly and chanting the proper hymns to invoke the astra, the brahmachary released the arrow into the lake nearby. After releasing the arrow, he then threw the bow into the lake. Then Lord Shiva called for the bow and arrow and gave it to Arjuna, and also gave him the benediction that he would fulfill his vow. Arjuna and Lord Krishna, fully satisfied with the worship of Lord Shiva, returned to Kurukshetra and to their own tents. Thus through that dream Arjuna learned how to use the weapon owned by Lord Shiva.

When the morning came all the Pandavas rose from their nightly rest and offered their morning prayers. In the presence of all the assembled Kings, Yudhisthira said to Lord Krishna, "O Krishna, relying on You alone, we seek victory and eternal life. You, O Lord, are aware of the loss of our kingdom at the hands of these vile sinners. O Lord of lords, You are compassionate to Your devotees who rely on You for their very existence. O slayer of Madhu, please help Arjuna to realize his vow. O descendent of Vrishni, become the boat that will take us across this vast ocean of the Kauravas. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You who are the eternal Lord, the Supreme Destroyer. O eternal Vishnu, O Hari, O Vaikunthanatha, Narada has described You to be the Supreme Lord, Narayana, who carries the Sarnga bow and who wields the Sudarshana cakra. O Lord of all creatures, please be merciful to us and do not allow Arjuna to enter fire at the end of the day. O Lord, may his vow be fulfilled."

To these prayers, Lord Krishna replied, "O Yudhisthira, in all the three worlds, there is no bowman who compares to Arjuna. He is the possessor of great weapons and wields the prowess of thousands of warriors. Treading over the heads of his enemies, he will certainly fulfill his oath. This very day you will see that sinful person, Jayadratha, laying on the Kurukshetra plain and his soul entering Yamaraja's abode. Today, vultures and jackals will feast on the flesh of his dead body. Even if all the demigods united become Jayadratha's protectors, that ruler of the Sindhus will not live. Dispell all your anxiety and lamentation."

While Lord Krishna and Yudhisthira were speaking, Arjuna came into their presence. Yudhisthira, rising from his seat, embraced Arjuna and smelt his head. He then addressed him, "It is evident from your smiling face that victory awaits you today. With the full blessings of our eternal well wisher, Lord Krishna, I shall see you here at the end of the day with you vows fulfilled."

Arjuna then described to all present his dream of the previous night. He described how Lord Shiva had instructed him to use the Pashupatra astra. He also told them that Lord Shiva blessed him with the fulfillment of his desires. Hearing this excellent story, all were struck with wonder and exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent!" Then with joyous hearts they proceeded to the battlefield to make preparations for the day's battle.

Thus Ends the Fourth Chapter of the Drona Parva, Entitled, Arjuna Vows to Kill Jayadratha.

http://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/mahabharata/d/doc118445.html

Hidimba and draupadi

They fought; they spat venom on each other, each trying to wound the other in a manner that would cause the most intense pain. And this, in full view of the assembly of the family elders, great sages, courtiers, and hundreds and hundreds of kings who had assembled at Indraprastha for Yudhisthira’s raajaswiya jajna. The fight of course should come as no wonder; what else could be the outcome when one was burning with jealousy and the arrogant other’s sense of self-importance went far beyond any reasonable limits.

Hidimbaki (Hidimba, in the classical version) was Bhima’s first wife, who was an asuri (“demoness”). She fell in love with Bhima, and wanted to marry him. At that time the Pandavas and Kunti were roaming in the deep forests, having escaped Duryodhana’s murderous design in the form of the wax palace. She knew that her brother who was the king of that forest would never allow her to marry a human; in fact, he wanted to eat up those six humans who had strayed into his territory. She gave Bhima the special weapon to kill her brother, and told him the secret to kill him. Thus it was with her help that Bhima killed the demon. And as Bhima was fighting her brother, she was keeping watch over the sleeping Kunti and her other four sons lest some harm befell them. She pleased Kunti with her grace and manners, and an already grateful Kunti blessed her marriage with Bhima. They had a son, who the grandmother named Ghatotkacha. Soon the Pandavas left and Hidimbika stayed behind with her son.

Then the Pandavas married Draupadi. Surely no one cared to inform Hidimbika. They returned to Hastinapura with their newly married wife. Soon they were given half of the kingdom, and Yudhisthira became the king of Indraprastha. He decided to perform the raajaswiya jajna. Here begins the story of the disgraceful quarrel.

The great sage Vyasa pronounced the mantras to light the homa fire, but the fire didn’t appear, which surprised Durvasa and other sages. The sage Narada said that this happened because Yuhisthira was issueless, and the gods would not bless such a religious effort by such a patron. Then they thought of Ghatotkacha. Vyasa maintained that since the Pandavas were the five manifestations of the same essence – an argument that was used on several occasions in Saaralaa Mahaabhaarata (rather conveniently, in our view), the many details of which must not detain us here – Ghatotkacha was Yudhisthira’s son too. Krishna asked Bhima to invoke his son.

As Ghatotkacha prepared to leave for Indraprastha, he asked his mother what gifts he should take with him. His mother told him what all to take. She then told him that he should first pay obeisance to his father, then to Krishna, then to Vyasa, and then to Yudhisthira, and that he must not bow to any one else. Ghatotkacha told her that out of jealousy and hatred, she was asking him to do something clearly wrong. Draupadi was born of homa fire, was the daughter of a brahmin king, and at the jajna, she would have a special status as Yudhisthira’s wife. Hundreds of kings would be paying their respects to her. She would feel insulted if he did not pay obeisance to her, and her anger would destroy him.

His mother told her that he had been ritualistically anointed king of that forest, and as such was like a god to the humans. Besides with her five husbands, Draupadi was nothing but an immoral woman, and paying respects to such a degraded person would only affect one’s longevity. But she noticed that Ghatotkacha was afraid; so she decided to accompany him.

Ghatotkacha did as his mother had told him. Draupadi felt humiliated, and she got very angry. She shouted at him that she was an exceptional person, she was the queen of Yudhisthira, she was the daughter of a brahmin king, and her status was far higher than that of the Pandavas. And at his wicked asuri mother behest he had dared to insult her in the august assembly of elders, sages and kings! Then she uttered a horrible curse that his life would be short, and that he would be killed without a fight – a terrible eventuality for a kshatriya (“member of the warrior class”) - when a devastating divine weapon would pierce his chest. Poor Ghatotkacha, still a boy, withdrew in fright.

Hidimbika was waiting at the door, since it was improper for a woman to be in an assembly of males, almost all of whom were strangers to her. But she couldn’t control herself when she heard Draupadi’s curse. She rushed to her, and called her a wretched, sinful woman. How could a virtuous woman have five husbands, she asked. She shouted that her son was a king, and as such was not obliged to bow to her. She said she was aware that her curse would certainly materialize, but her son would still die a hero’s death since only a fighter would be hit on the chest. Then she asked her how being his stepmother, nevertheless a mother, she could utter such a terrible curse on her son who was still a boy. She said she couldn’t even curse her because she was a barren woman. But one day she would have children, and she cursed that all her five children would be decapitated at the age of seven. Thus these two women killed much of the future of the Pandava lineage. What the enemy did later was a mere formality.

As the two women quarreled, Krishna asked Vyasa to consult his text and tell him how the curses were going to materialize. As the entire assembly listened, Vyasa told Krishna that there would be a terrible war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. In the night of the second day of Drona’s commandership, Karna would invoke a divine weapon that could not be countered. Seeing this, Krishna would ask Ghatotkacha to hide behind Arjuna’s chariot, which he would do. As Karna would hurl it at Arjuna, Hanumana, manifest on the top of Arjuna’s chariot, would in a flash push the chariot into the nether world. The weapon would thus hit Ghatotkacha on his chest and kill him.

How would Hidimbaki’s curse materialize, Krishna then asked Vyasa. The sage told him that as mentioned in the text, after the fall of Duryodhana, he, Krishna would go to Dwarika with the victorious Pandavas, leaving behind Draupadi’s children and Dristadyumna in the battlefield to rest there, thinking that with the enemy routed, the place was entirely safe for them. That night Duryodhana would appoint Aswasthama as his commander and Aswasthama would go to the Pandava tents that same night and kill the sleeping Sikhandi, Dristadyumna, and Draupadi’s children, thinking that they were the Pandavas. He would bring the severed heads to Duryodhana. In the morning when Duryodhana would recognize the severed heads, he would be terribly upset. Looking at those faces, the grieving Duryodhana would breathe his last.

Krishna was happy. He then went to the fighting women, and comforted them.

On the surface, the main (in fact, the only) issue of the fight between the women was whether Ghatotkacha transgressed the code of conduct by not bowing to Draupadi. And one must note that the code in question was, in all probability, what one might tentatively call a Brahminical (as against aaasuric) code. When they first met her, Bhima, and his mother Kunti were impressed with Hidimbaki for her “cultured” manners, another name for non-asuric, Brahminical manners, as far as they were concerned. When Hitimbaki remained outside the jajna premises, she was following the Brahminical code. When she advised her son who all he must pay obeisance to she was following surely the same code: Bhima, because he was his father, Krishna, because he was Narayana himself, Vyasa, because being a great sage, he was eminently worthy of the king’s veneration, and finally Yudhisthira, because he was the greatest of the kings assembled there. Ghatotkacha was a king; he was anointed king with the proper ritualistic procedure. As king, he was not supposed to bow to anyone else. That was what his mother’s understanding of the code. In one way however Hidimbaki arguably set aside the code; when she charged Draupadi that she too was a mother to her son and as such should not have pronounce that dreadful curse on him – as a mother, then, was Draupadi not qualified to receive Ghatotkacha’s bow?

Draupadi’s condemnation of Ghatotkacha derived from the same value system. She was born of the sacred homa fire, she was Yudhisthira’s queen, and as such a hundred times more venerable than the Pandavas, and she was the brahmin king Drupad’s daughter. One wonders whether she wasn’t trying to suggest that she was still a brahmin, notwithstanding the fact that she had married kshatriyas. But in terms of the code under reference, “once a brahmin always a brahmin” did not apply to women.

No one in the assembly considered the issue of the alleged violation of the code by Ghatotkacha. Perhaps things happened too fast for such a thing. And after those terrible curses were uttered, a discussion of the code must have appeared meaningless. In any case, in this episode, Sarala seems to have been more interested in portraying the ugly face of jealousy and hatred than in resolving such uninteresting issues

Besides, why blame anyone. Didn’t the script already exist, and all Ghatotkacha, Draupadi and Hidimbaki were doing was playing out their parts? When their turn would come, Krishna, Karna, Aswasthama, etc. would also play out their respective parts. Ephemeral events do not get immortalized when translated into tales. Their tales pre-exist. But where do the tales come from?

Which text did Vyasa consult? Krishna asked him to consult “tohara shaastra (“your text”)”. The phrase is ambiguous, as many possessive phrases are. It could mean “the text you have written” or “the text you have with you”. It is really futile to look for the specifics of the text. It obviously couldn’t be Mahabharata, since it depicted the events already taken place – in any version of the origin of this work. Let us take it here as a metaphor; as a mental text. It was in Vyasa’s mind – Vyasa, who, as Sarala puts it, was the knower of the past, the present and the future.

When Vyasa told him about the future events, Krishna was delighted:parama saananda hoile chakrapaani (roughly, “Krishna was very happy”). Why was he delighted? Was it intellectual delight arising out of having the knowledge he was seeking? Or was he feeling happy that the existing order would be comprehensively destroyed which would lead to the emergence of a new order? Or was it something else?

Sarala doesn’t say anything by way of clarification in this regard. His Krishna is Narayana himself. Krishna’s doings for the poet were an enigma - inscrutable are the ways of God, as the saying goes. The enigma was one manifestation of his maayaa (“(divine) illusion”). In deference to the poet, let us not try to probe into Krishna’s happiness.

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