The Pandavas set out on their exile
Defeated at dice and incensed by the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors, the Pandavas set out from Hastinapura. Issuing through Vardhamana gate of the city, bearing their weapons and accompanied by Draupadi, they set out in a northerly direction. Indrasena and others, with servants numbering altogether fourteen, with their wives, followed them on swift cars. The citizens learning of their departure became overwhelmed with sorrow, and began to censure Bhishma, Vidura, Drona and Krupa. Having met together they thus addressed one another fearlessly:
“Alas! Our families, we ourselves, and our homes have all gone, when the wicked Duryodhana, backed by Shakuni, Karna and Duhshasana, aspires to this kingdom. Oh! Our families, our ancestral usages, our virtue and prosperity, are all doomed where this sinful wretch, supported by wretches as sinful, aspires to the kingdom! Oh! How can happiness be there where these Pandavas are not! Duryodhana bears malice towards all superiors, has taken leave of good conduct, and quarrels with those that are near to him in blood. Covetous, vain and mean, he is cruel by nature. The whole earth is doomed when Duryodhana becomes its ruler. Therefore, let us proceed to where the merciful and high-minded sons of Pandu with passions under control and victorious over foes, and possessed of modesty and renown, and devoted to pious practices, repair!”
Saying this, the citizens went after the Pandavas, and having met them, they all, with joined hands, addressed the sons of Kunti and Madri thus:
“Blessed be you! Where will you go, leaving us in grief? We will follow you wherever you go! Surely we have been distressed upon learning that you have been deceitfully vanquished by relentless enemies! It befits you not to forsake your loving subjects and devoted friends, always seeking your welfare and employed in doing what is agreeable to you! We desire not to be overwhelmed in certain destruction living in the dominions of the Kuru king. Listen as we indicate the merits and demerits springing respectively from association with what is good and bad! As cloth, water, the ground, and sesame seeds are perfumed by association with flowers, even so are qualities ever the product of association. Verily association with fools produces an illusion that entangles the mind, as daily communion with the good and the wise leads to the practice of virtue. Therefore, they that desire emancipation should associate with those that are wise, old, honest and pure in conduct and possessed of ascetic merit. They should be waited upon whose triple possessions, viz., knowledge, origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them is even superior to scriptures. Devoid of the religious acts as we are, we shall yet reap religious merit by association with the righteous, as we should come by sin by waiting upon the sinful. The very sight and touch of the dishonest, and converse and association with them; cause diminution of virtue, and these men will never attain purity of mind. Association with the base impaires the understanding, as, indeed, with the indifferent makes it indifferent, while communion with the good ever exalts it. All those attributes which are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious merit, of worldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded by the people, extolled in the Vedas, and approved by the well-behaved, exist in you, separately and jointly! Therefore, desirous of our own welfare, we wish to live amongst you who possess those attributes!”
Yudhishthira said:
“Blessed are we since the people with the Brahmanas at their head, moved by affection and compassion credit us with merits we have not. I, however, with my brothers, would ask all of you to do one thing. You should not, through affection and pity for us, act otherwise! Our grandfather Bhishma, the king Dhritarashtra, Vidura, my mother and most of my well-wishers, are all in the city of Hastinapura. Therefore, if you are minded to seek our welfare, cherish them with care, uniting together as they are overwhelmed with sorrow and afflictions. Grieved at our departure, you have come far! Go back, and let your hearts be directed with tenderness towards the relatives I entrust to you as pledges! This, of all others, is the one act upon which my heart is set, and by doing this you would give me great satisfaction and pay me your best regards!”
Thus exhorted by Yudhishthira the just, the people set up a loud wail exclaiming, “Alas! O king!” Afflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow on remembering the virtues of Yudhishthira, they unwillingly retraced their steps asking leave of the Pandavas.
The citizens having ceased to follow, the Pandavas ascended their cars, and setting out, reached the mighty banyan tree called Pramana on the banks of the Ganges. Reaching the site of the banyan tree about the close of the day, the heroic sons of Pandu purified themselves by touching the sacred water, and passed the night there. Afflicted with woe, they spent that night taking water alone as their sole sustenance. Certain Brahmanas belonging to both classes, those that maintained the sacrificial fire and those that maintained it not, who had, with their disciples and relatives, out of affection, followed the Pandavas there also passed the night with them. Surrounded by those Brahmanas, the king shone resplendent in their midst. That evening, at once beautiful and terrible, those Brahmanas having lighted their sacred fires, began to chant the Vedas and hold mutual converse. Those Brahmanas, with swan-sweet voices, spent the night, comforting that best of Kurus, the king.
When that night passed away and day broke in, those Brahmamas who supported themselves by mendicancy, stood before the Pandavas of exalted deeds, who were about to enter the forest. Then king Yudhishthira, addressed them, saying:
“Robbed of our prosperity and kingdom, robbed of everything, we are about to enter the deep woods in sorrow, depending for our food on fruits and roots, and the produce of the chase. The forest too is full of dangers, and abounds with reptiles and beasts of prey. It appears to me that you will certainly have to suffer much privation and misery there. The sufferings of the Brahmanas might overpower even the gods. That they would overwhelm me is too certain. Therefore, O Brahmanas! go you back wherever you wish!”
The Brahmanas replied:
“O king! Our path is even that on which you are setting out! It beholds you not, therefore, to forsake us who are your devoted admirers practising the true Dharma! The very gods have compassion upon their worshippers, specially upon Brahmanas of regulated lives!”
Yudhishthira said:
“O regenerate ones! I too am devoted to the Brahmanas! But this destitution that has overtaken me overwhelms me with confusion! These my brothers who are to procure fruits and roots and the deer of the forest are stupefied with grief arising from their afflictions and on account of the distress of Draupadi and the loss of our kingdom! Alas! As they are distressed, I cannot employ them in painful tasks!”
The Brahmanas said:
“O king! Let no anxiety in respect of our maintenance find a place in your heart! Ourselves providing our own food, we shall follow you, and by meditation and saying our prayers we shall compass your welfare while by pleasant converse we shall entertain you and be cheered ourselves.”
Yudhishthira said:
“Without doubt, it must be as you say, for I am ever pleased with the company of you! But my fallen condition makes me see in myself an object of reproach! How shall I behold you all, that do not deserve to bear trouble, out of love for me, painfully subsisting upon food procured by your own toil? Oh! Fie upon the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra!”
Saying this, the weeping king sat himself down upon the ground.
