In the previous episode, we had witnessed Yudishtra’s yet another important answer to Snake Nahusha pertaining to the three important aspects that one should possess, if he / she has to attain the highest “Moksha” – “Satyam”, “Daanam” and “Ahimsa”. As he had explained it earlier as well, if one is standing by the “Dharma” (Truth), if one is donating things to the needy at the right time and finally if one is steadfast that he / she doesn’t harm any living being unwantedly, is completely on track to attain “Moksha”. We’ve witnessed epitomes of these characteristics in our previous episodes as well, and with this, Snake Nahusha’s questions come to an end. As Yudishtra gives this important and beautiful reply, Snake Nahusha talks to Yudishtra thus, “Oh Yudishtra! You’ve given all the correct and important answers to my questions! I’m very happy to have met you and received those answers, and with this, my curse of being a snake comes to an end!” We’ve to note here that we’ve only seen a selected few questions that Snake Nahusha had asked. There are around 40 to 50 questions that Snake Nahusha had asked Yudishtra, and since we have to move on further, I’m skipping them for a while now. We shall come back to all these questions at a later stage, and meanwhile, readers can get a fair bit of knowledge by reading the text directly, before we go deep into this context once more.
With this, Snake Nahusha requests Yudishtra thus, “Oh Yudishtra! As per Sage Agastya’s words, I shall be relieved from this curse if you touch me with your divine feet, and now that you’ve answered all my questions, please help me in doing so!” As Snake Nahusha requests thus, Yudishtra touches Nahusha with his feet and with this, a divine light goes up from the python’s body towards the “Svarga Lokha”. Snake Nahusha is liberated from his curse finally, and Bheemasena also gets freed! With this, we come to the end of this “Charitra”, and we shall now quickly move on to the next “Parva” – The “Maarkandeya-Samaasya Parva”. This is a really long “Parva”, and I shall first give a short overview of the same, to set up the context. The word “Samaasya” means “Sitting together and conversing with each other”. Now who were the ones who sat and conversed with each other? Sage Maarkandeya, along with the Paandava brothers, Draupati, Bhagawan Krishna and Satyabhama. Sometime after this Nahusha episode gets over, Bhagawan Krishna feels that He has to visit the Paandava brothers once more amidst the forest. It has been a while since He had seen Arjuna, because when the “Teertha Yatra” was going on, Bhagawan Krishna only saw Yudishtra and the others, except Arjuna. At this time, Arjuna had gone to the “Svarga Lokha” for five years, and the “Teertha Yatra” takes place only during this time when Arjuna was absent. Readers should remember this very carefully.
Thus, Bhagawan Krishna comes down along with His wife, Satyabhama to see Yudishtra and Co. This is where Sage Veda-Vyaasa has poured in all the aspects of “Dharma” through the discussion that we’re going to witness here. As Bhagawan Krishna arrives, Yudishtra and Co. welcome Him with all the “Argyam”, “Paadhyam”, “Aachamaneeyam”, etc. as per the traditional protocol. Arjuna is pleased to see Bhagawan Krishna and vice versa too. It is to be noted here that the Paandavas are now residing in the “Kaamyaka Vanam” and they’ve moved away from the “Dvaita Vanam”. In this “Parva”, we’re going to see three important conversations – One between Bhagawan Krishna and the Paandava brothers, second, between Sage Maarkandeya and the others, and thirdly, between Draupati and Satyabhama. The third conversation is going to be very important, wherein Satyabhama is going to ask Draupati thus, “Oh Draupati! You’ve married and managing five husbands very nicely. What are the various aspects of “Sthri-Dharma” (Dharma aspects that a woman should follow)? How should a “Pathi-Vrata” woman conduct herself?” This is going to be a very interesting and an important discussion and a lot of aspects of “Dharma” are going to come out here. Hence, this “Parva” is very important.
Thus, for today, let us understand up to this point, and we shall witness the continuation of this discussion in the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 