Yudhishthira said “You deities, I do not see here Radha's son of incomparable prowess, as also my largehearted brothers, and and Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, those great car-warriors who poured their bodies (as libations on the fire of battle, those kings and princess who met with death for my sake in battle.

Where are those great car-warriors who possessed of the prowess of tigers? Have those foremost of men gained this region?

If thosc great car-warriors have obtained these regions, than only do you know, O good, that I shall live here with those greet ones.

If this auspicious and eternal region has not becn gained by those kings, then, know, O gods, that without those brothers and kinsmen of mine, I shall not live here.

At the time of celebrating the water rites (after the battle), I heard my mother say, Do you offer oblations of water to Karna! I am burning with grief.

I grieve also continually at this, O gods that when I marked the resemblance between the feet of my mother and those of Karna of high soul, I did not immediately place myself under the orders of that destroyer of hostile ranks! Ourselves joined with Karna, Shakra himself would have been unable to defeat in battle.

Wherever may that child of the sum be, I wish to see him. Alas, not knowing his relationship with us, I caused him to be killed by Arjuna.

Bhima also of dreadful prowess and dearer to me than my life. Arjuna too, resembling Indra himself, the twins also who resembled the Destroyer the Destroyer himself in prowess, I wish to see ! I wish to see the princess of Panchala, of good conduct, I wish not to stay here. I tell you the truth.

O foremost of the deities, what is Heaven to me if I am separated from my brothers? That is Heaven where those brothers of mine are. This in my opinion, is not Heaven.

The Deities said If you wish to be there, go them, O son, forthwith, At the command of the king of the celestials, we are ready to do what you like.

Having said so, the celestials then ordered the celestial messenger, o destroyer of enemies, saying, 'Do you show to Yudhishthira his friends and kinsmen, Then the royal son of Kunti and the celestial messenger went together, O fore-most of kings to that place where those chiefs of men were.

The celestial messenger went first, followed by the king. The path was difficult and trodden by men of sinful deeds.

It was covered with thick darkness, and covered with hair and moss forming its grassy vesture. Polluted with the blood, it was filled with gad-flies and stinging bees and gnats and was endangered by the inroads of grisly bars. Rotting corpses lay here and there.

Overspread with bones and hair, it was noisesome with worms and insects. It was bounded all along with a burning fire.

It was infested by crows and other birds and vultures, tall having beaks of iron, as also by evil spirits with long mouths pointed like needles. And it was filled with inaccessible fastness like the Vindhya mountains,

Human corpses were scattered over it, smeared with fat and blood, with arms and thighs out off, or with entrails torn out and legs severed.

Along that path so disagreeable with the stench of corpses and awful with other incidents, the righteous-souled king went filled with various thoughts.

He saw a river full of boiling water and therefore difficult to cross as also a forest of trees whose leaves were sharp swords and razors.

There were plains full of fine white sand highly heated, and rocks and stones made of iron. There were many jars of iron all around, with boiling oil in them.

Many a Kuta-shalmalika was there with sharp thorns, and therefore, greatly painful to the touch. The son of Kunti saw also the tortures inflicted upon sinful men.

Seeing that inauspicious region full of every sort of fouiness, Yudhishthira asked the celestial messenger, saying, How far shall we go along a path like this?

You should tell me where those brothers, of mine are. I wish also to know what region is this of the celestials.

Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira, the just, the celestial messenger stopped in his course and replied, saying, Thus far is your way.

The dwellers of the celestial region ordered me that having come thus far, I am to stop! If you are tired, O king of kings, you may return with me. was sorrow

Yudhishthira, however sorely disconsolate and stupefied by the foul stench. Resolved to return, O Bharata, he retraced his steps.

Stricken with and grief, the righteous-souled king turned back. Directly then he heard piteous cries all around.

O son Dharma, O royal sage, O you of holy birth, o son of Pandu, do you say a moment of favouring us.

At your approach, O invincible one, a delightful breeze has begun to blow, bearing the sweet smell of your body. We have been greatly relieved at this.

O foremost of king seeing you, O first of men, we have been highly pleased O son of Pritha, let that happiness last longer through your stay here for a few moments more.

Do you remain here, O Bharata, for even a short time! As long as you are here O you of Kuru's race, tortures cease to afflict us.

This king, heard there these and many similar words, uttered piteously by persons in distress, reaching his ears from all sides.

Hearing those words of beings in distress, Yudhishthira of compassionate heart exclaimed aloud, Alas, how pain-full! and the king stood still.

The words of those woe-begone and afflicted persons seemed to the son of Pandu to be uttered in voices that he had heard before although he could not, then recognise thein.

Unable to recognise the voice, Dharma's son, Yudhishthira, enquired, saying, who are you? Why also do you stay here?

Thus addressed, they answered him from all sides, saying, I am Karna! I am Bhimasena! I am Arjuna!

I am Nakula, I am Sahadeva! I am Dhrishtadyumna! I am Draupadi! We are the sons of Draupadi! thus O king did those voice speak.

Hearing those cries, O king, uttered in voice of pain suitable to that place, the royal Yudhishthira asked himself, What perverse destiny is this?

What are those sinful deeds which were committed by those grcat beings, viz., Karna and the sons of Draupadi and the slenderwaisted princess of Panchala, so that they have been compelled to live in this region of fetid smell and great distress. I am not aware of any sin that can be attributed to these persons of auspicious deeds.

What is that deed by doing which Dhritarashtra's son king Suyodhana with all his sinful followers, has acquired such prosperity?

Gifted with prosperity like that of the great Indra himself, he is reverently worshipped. What is that deed for which these (high-souled ones) have fallen into Hell?

All of them knew duty, were heroes, were devoted to truth and the Vedas; were observant of Kshatriya practices, were righteous in their decds; were performers of sacrifices; and givers of large presents to Brahmanas.

Am I asleep or awake? Am I conscious or unconscious? Or, is all this an aberration of the intellect?

Overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, and with his senses ruffled by anxiety, king Yudhishthira indulged in such thoughts for a long time.

The royal son of Dharma was them filled with righteous indigatio. Indeed, Yudhishthira then censured the celestials as also Dharma himself.

Afflicted by the very foul smell, he addressed the celestial messenger, saying, Return to the presence of those whose messenger you are.

Tell them that I shall not return to where they are, but shall stay even here, since, on account of my companionship, these afflicted brothers of mine have become comforted.

Thus addressed by the intelligent son of Pandu, the celestial messenger returned to the place where the king of the celestials was, viz., he of a hundred sacrifices.

He represented to hiin the of Yudhishthira. Indeed, O king, he informed Indra of all that Dharma's son had said. acts