DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0391
tAPTER XIX
Atonement and the Ascent to Heaven
Draupadi's Sorrow—The Vengeful Maharajah—Bhima is Forgiven—
Dead Burned on Battlefield—Atonement for Sin—The Horse Sacrifice—
Arjuna's Wanderings—A Woman turned to Stone—The Amazons—Fathei
and Son Conflict—The Wonderful Serpent Jewel—Return of the Horse—The
Sacrifice Performed—Maharajah Retires to the Forest—Meeting of Mournful
Relatives—The Vision of the Dead—Widows Drown Themselves—A Forest
Tragedy—Dwaraka Horrors—End of Krishna and Balarama—City Destroyed
by the Sea—Farewell of the Pandavas—The Journey to Heaven—Vudhish-
thira Tested by Deities—Vision of Hell—The Holy Life.
When it was told to the Pandava brethren that their
camp had been raided in darkness by the bloodthirsty
Aswatthaman, Yudhishthira exclaimed: "Alas! sorrow
upon sorrow crowds upon us, and now the greatest
sorrow of all hath fallen. Draupadi mourns the death
of her brother and her five sons, and I rear she will
perish with grief."
Draupadi came before her husbands and, weeping
bitterly, said: "For thirteen cruel years you have endured
shame and exile so that your children might prosper. But
now that they are all slain, can you desire to have power
and kingdom ?"
Said Krishna: " O daughter of a rajah, is thy grief
so great as is Pritha's and Gandhari's, and as great as
those who lament the loss or their husbands on the battle-
field? Thou hast less cause than others to wail now.'
Draupadi was soothed somewhat, but she turned to
Atonement and the Ascent to Heaven
Draupadi's Sorrow—The Vengeful Maharajah—Bhima is Forgiven—
Dead Burned on Battlefield—Atonement for Sin—The Horse Sacrifice—
Arjuna's Wanderings—A Woman turned to Stone—The Amazons—Fathei
and Son Conflict—The Wonderful Serpent Jewel—Return of the Horse—The
Sacrifice Performed—Maharajah Retires to the Forest—Meeting of Mournful
Relatives—The Vision of the Dead—Widows Drown Themselves—A Forest
Tragedy—Dwaraka Horrors—End of Krishna and Balarama—City Destroyed
by the Sea—Farewell of the Pandavas—The Journey to Heaven—Vudhish-
thira Tested by Deities—Vision of Hell—The Holy Life.
When it was told to the Pandava brethren that their
camp had been raided in darkness by the bloodthirsty
Aswatthaman, Yudhishthira exclaimed: "Alas! sorrow
upon sorrow crowds upon us, and now the greatest
sorrow of all hath fallen. Draupadi mourns the death
of her brother and her five sons, and I rear she will
perish with grief."
Draupadi came before her husbands and, weeping
bitterly, said: "For thirteen cruel years you have endured
shame and exile so that your children might prosper. But
now that they are all slain, can you desire to have power
and kingdom ?"
Said Krishna: " O daughter of a rajah, is thy grief
so great as is Pritha's and Gandhari's, and as great as
those who lament the loss or their husbands on the battle-
field? Thou hast less cause than others to wail now.'
Draupadi was soothed somewhat, but she turned to