Ascetic Sage Advises Yudhishthira on Gandhamadana

Yudhishthira found the ascetic on the slopes of Gandhamadana — a man who had burnt away all his sins through austerities so complete that his body seemed made of something other than flesh. Yudhishthira bowed his head and announced his name. Behind him, Krishna Draupadi, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva lowered their heads in turn. Dhoumya, the Pandavas’ priest, approached the sage according to propriety — learned in dharma, approaching one who was rigid in his vows. The sage already knew them. Through his divine sight, he had recognized Pandu’s sons the moment they entered his range of vision. He greeted them and asked them to be seated. He showed honours to the bull among the Kurus. When Yudhishthira was seated with his brothers, the sage asked about his welfare. But the questions were not casual. “Does your mind ever turn towards that which is not true, or do you follow dharma? Does your conduct towards your mother and father ever diminish? Are your preceptors, all the elders and those who are learned, worshipped by you? Does your mind ever turn towards evil acts? Do you know how to reward a good deed and ignore an evil deed? Do you treat them according to the law and without any conceit? Do virtuous ones rejoice when such deserving ones are honoured by you? Though you dwell in the forest, do you follow that which is dharma? Has Dhoumya been tormented by the way you treat him? Do you follow the dharma of donations, austerities, purity, uprightness and forbearance? Do you follow the conduct of your fathers and grandfathers? Do you tread the path followed by the rajarshis (royal sages)?” He told Yudhishthira that when a son or grandson is born in one’s lineage, the ancestors in the world of the ancestors either sorrow or laugh — wondering what will become of them if he performs evil deeds, or whether they will prosper because he performs good deeds. He who honours his father, his mother, the fire, the preceptor and his own soul as the fifth, conquers both the worlds. Then the sage described the mountain they stood on. At the time of parvasandhi — the juncture between lunar fortnights — rishis who live on water and on the wind fly through the air and visit this greatest of mountains. Kimpurushas (celestial beings), lovers with their beloveds, devoted to each other, can be seen on the peaks. Masses of gandharvas and apsaras can be seen, attired in spotless garments and in those made of silk. Masses of handsome and garlanded vidyadharas (celestial beings), masses of great serpents, giant birds and other serpents. At the time of parvasandhi, the sounds of kettledrums, panavas (small drums), conch shells and drums can be heard on this mountain. “You can hear all of that from this place,” the sage said. “But you should never act or think so as to venture closer. Beyond this point, it is impossible to go. That place is the sporting ground of the gods, beyond the access of humans. At that spot, all beings hate the fickle deeds of humans and rakshasas (demons) chastise them. Beyond the peak of this mountain can be seen the radiant objective of devarshis (divine sages), those who are supremely successful. If one is fickle enough to continue on the journey beyond this point, the rakshasas kill him with iron spears and other means.” At the time of parvasandhi, Vaishravana Naravahana — the lord of riches, borne by a man — can be seen there in his prosperity, surrounded by apsaras. All beings then see the lord of the rakshasas seated on the peak of the mountain, as resplendent as the rising sun. The peak of that mountain is the sporting ground of gods, danavas (demons), siddhas (perfected beings) and Vaishravana. At the time of parvasandhi, Tumburu worships the lord of riches there and the sounds of his songs and hymns can be heard on Gandhamadana. “Dwell here,” the sage told Yudhishthira. “Live on succulent fruit and other tasty food, until you see Arjuna. Now that you have reached this place, you should never be fickle. After living here, as you desire, and sporting yourself, you will protect the earth.”