Episode 33

Arrival of Narada- An inspiration to accomplish Rājasūya[i]

(NARADA UPADESAM)

Sabhā Parva is the second text after Adi Parva in Maha Bharata. The text is known as ‘Sabhā Parva’ since Narada describes the various divine courts (Sabhās) – Indra Sabhā, Yama Sabhā, Varuna Sabhā, Kubera Sabhā and Brahma Sabhā for the benefit of Yudhishtira (Dharmaraja). ‘Sabhika’ in Sanskrit means the persons who play dice (सभिको द्यूत कारकाः – Amara Kosa). We find the famous game of dice played in the court of Duryodhana (Duryodhana Sabhā) in this text only. The text starts with Raj-niti (rules of Statecraft) and lays the foundation for the strong determination to perform the Rājasūya Yaga

The story

Maya Sabhā was marvel in stone and there was no matching court in grandeur and outlook on the entire earth. Dharmaraja, with the able assistance of his four brothers and surrounded by intelligent ministers, able warriors and noble vassal kings, was presiding the throne with all pomp and power. He was celebrated as Indra upon the earth.

One day the celestial sage Narada arrived the court of Dharmaraja. Dharmaraja got up from his throne and with all humility and escorted him to an elevated seat and stood to hear the words of wisdom from the sage. Great persons will not indulge in gossip and mundane things. Narada started inquiring whether he was ruling the country in tune with Dhama. 

‘Oh king! Is there any inter-conflict among dharma, artha and kama in your kingdom?

कच्चिदर्थेन वा धर्मं धर्मेणार्थमथापि वा |

उभौ वा प्रीति सारेण न कामेवा प्रबाधसे|| [ii] (whether artha by dharma, dharma by artha or dharma & artha by kama are not troubled in your kingdom?)

‘Are you assessing the strength of your enemies by applying the seven-fold[iii] strategies?’

‘If the enemy is strong, are you making peace with him? For improving the health of your treasury, are you encouraging agriculture, business, mining and other activities?’

‘Have you appointed only trust-worthy people as commander in chief of army, commander of the fort, commander in chief of dharma (dharmadhyakha), chief Medical officer, the chief Purohit etc?

‘Are you avoiding delay of doing great deeds which can be accomplished with least efforts after discussing with your trusted ministers?’

‘Have you employed spies to know the secrets of your enemy’s minister, purohit, crown prince, army chief, fort protector, jailor, treasurer, court supervisor, magistrate, forest officer and others?’

‘Are you giving decent salaries to all your employees and soldiers without any delays?’

‘Are you taking care of your people as your children?’

‘When your enemy is in troubles due to bad habits (gambling and prostituting), are you occupying his territories fast with all force? Are you giving protection to your vassals?’

‘Are you distinguishing your employees based on their talent and appointing right persons at right places?’

‘Are you providing loans to your farmers at one-rupee rate of interest and encouraging agriculture?[iv]

‘Are you ensuring the safety of women in your kingdom? I hope you are not talking with them in secret places’

‘Are you giving audience to your citizens in the mornings every day? Are you taking their complaints and redressing their grievances?’

‘Are you giving respect to intelligentsia and encouraging their contribution to society?’

‘Are you not charging exorbitant taxes from entrepreneurs and traders?’

‘Are you thorough with all sūtra grandhas (Gaja sūtram, Asva sūtram and Ratha sūtram etc)?’

‘Are you taking care in prevention of diseases in your kingdom?’

Yudhishtira fell on the feet of Narada for the latter’s wise advice. He told that he was following the principles of raj-niti and now, with the counselling, he acknowledged that he became wise.

After Narada sat for a while peacefully, Dharmaraja approached him politely and asked, ‘O Maharshi! You travel all the worlds with the speed of the mind. Have you anywhere seen a court as marvelous as this Maya Sabhā?’.

Narada smiled and told, ‘Hi Maharaj! On earth it is unmatchable. But I have seen a few great courts of Indra, Varuna, Yama, Kubera and the court of Lord Brahma. I will describe those courts for your information’.

‘The court of Indra is ten times bigger than Maya Sabhā and presided by Lord Indra. There no hunger and no fear in this world. Deva rishis, raja rishis and Brahma rishis adorn this court. All gods, siddhas and sin-free persons venerate Lord Indra. Many apsaras and gandharvas entertain the courtesans with music and dance. Emperors with Rājasūya fame like Harischandra adorn the court of Indra. Rest of the emperors reside in Yama loka.

‘The court of Yama is as big as the court of Indra. It has air conditioning accommodation and gives pleasure to the inmates (नातिसीता न चात्युष्ट्ना मनशश्च प्रहर्षिणी[v]. All types of sweets, dishes, fruits and flowers are aplenty. All great emperors of the world sit in the court and venerate Lord Yama. People who had performed bad deeds are also brought to this court for the last judgment. Viswakarma, the celebrated architect of gods has built it with lot of care and efforts’

‘Varuna’s court is a wonderful world itself. It is in the midst of water and Lord Varura presides this loka. All rivers, rivulets, oceans, and water bodies venerate Varuna here. All nagas (serpents) and all great asuras (demons) who have to their credit much merit (punya)reside here’

‘The court of Kubera is classic with rich diamonds, pearls, and golden decked gorgeous structures and seats. The court looks like swinging in the sky. A bevy of beautiful ladies adorning golden ornaments surround the presiding deity Kubera. Gandharvas, apsaras, and other musicians and dancers throng the court of Kubera. The goddess Lakshmi has a special place and people like Tumbura, Nalakubara and me frequently visit this place’

‘The court of Brahma is indescribable. Its length and breadth no one can measure. I did penance for thousand years and then could able to enter Brahma’s court with the help of Lord Surya. We experience ultimate pleasure and happiness in this court. All Prajapatis like Daksha, Pracheta, Pulaha, Marichi and Kasyapa venerate the presiding god Brahmaa. The seven celestial rishis and other rishis who spent their whole lives in penance stay here. Artha, kama, dharma, harsham, dvesham, tapas and damam (अर्थो धर्मश्च कामश्च हर्षो द्वेषस्तपो दमः[vi]) live here in human form. All four vedas, Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Gandharva veda and all sastras stay here. The Time stays here in a form’.

Dharmaraja heard everything with rapt attention. He heard that all emperors including his father was in Yama Sabhā and the emperor Harischandra alone was in Indra Sabhā. He begged pardon with Narada to explain the reason. Narada told, ‘Hi Dharmaraj! Harischandra was the son of Ikshvaku king Trisanku and he, by virtue of his strength and valor, brought under his control all the seven dvipas[vii] (seven great islands) and performed the Rājasūya yaga. He gave charity to the needy and endeared the love of all his citizens. By virtue of his merit, he attained the Indra loka. By seeing his grandeur, your father Pandu Maharaj wanted you all to perform Rājasūya since you are now capable of performing it’.

Dharmaraja was delighted at the message of his father from the higher worlds through sage Narada. His thoughts now merged into the task of performing Rājasūya yaga. Narada took leave and left the place.

Analysis of the Episode

A perusal of the above narration indicates that it is not exactly a story. But it sets the tone for embarking a great deed (Rājasūya). The episode starts with the arrival of Narada. ‘Nāra’ in Sanskrit means wisdom and ‘da’ denotes giving. The one who imparts (da) wisdom is Narada. Narada is a Brahmarshi and an embodiment of wisdom. Unlike normal conversations, his conversation starts with enquiring whether the king was treading on the right path.

Veda Vyasa devoted nearly one hundred twenty-one slokas- apparently questions to the king, but they are pregnant with meaningful insights into the state craft (Raj-niti). It touched upon the king’s duties and responsibilities and his obligations towards the common populace. We find similar pattern of imparting the state craft by Sri Rama in his conversation with Bharata in Valmiki Ramayana. People of wisdom dwell in broad aspects and common people indulge in mundane talk. Narada’s entire conversation is on a higher plane since it was addressed to the greatest ruler upon earth at that period of time.

In this episode we find Dharmaraja asking Narada if he had ever seen courts that are as grandeur as that of Maya Sabhā. The smile on Narada’s lips and his reply later indicate to negate the budding ego of the king in the inception phase. What he achieved so far can be achieved by any other king with a few efforts. But Narada wanted Yudhishitara to accomplish a bigger task of performing Rājasūya which can be done only by defeating all the kings of his times. Narada, at the same time, did not want to demean Yudhishtira’s achievements. Narada was a great communicator. While acknowledging the grandeur of Maya Sabhā, he tries to convey a message that there were other Sabhās before which his Sabhā pales into insignificance.

Narada, an embodiment of wisdom, is an expert in communication. His tone suggests appreciation; and at once aims at negating the ego of Dharmaraja. We find a parallel in Samuel Johnson’s famous quote when he was reviewing a manuscript of a book. He comments are:

‘Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good’.

Narada also emphasizes that the grandeur of a Sabhā is decided by the type of people who dwell in that Sabhā and the way it is organized.

We have a famous Sanskrit quote which runs like this:

न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धाः

वृद्धा न ते ये न वदन्ति धर्मम् ।

नासौ धर्मो यत्र न सत्यमस्ति

न तत्सत्यं यच्छलेनानुविद्धम्  || (Meaning- The assembly where we don’t find elders and experienced persons cannot be qualified as a Sabhā. Again, elders cannot be labelled as elders if they don’t adhere and pronounce dharma. Again, that is not dharma which deviates from Truth. That is not Truth which is shrouded in deceit)

Indra Sabhā is adorned with emperors like Harischandra who had the fame of Rājasūya. Rest of the emperors were in the court of Yama. The occupants of Brahma Sabhā being great tapasvis like Sapta rishis. Varuna Sabhā was dominated my musicians, singers and dancers. How can these Sabhās be compared with the court of Dharmaraja? His father Pandu Maharaj himself could not reach Indra Sabhā but had to contend with lower courts. It is but natural that it triggered the determination of Dharmaraja to embark upon a noble task of performing Rājasūya.

What is the unique nature of Rājasūya? It is a vedic ritual that bestows sovereignty on the king of kings. By performing this the king is deemed to have accomplished the task of conquering all kings upon the earth.

One more interesting feature of this episode is that it describes different worlds that a human being can aspire by accomplishing noble tasks. We have similar story (Story of Yayati) in Adiparva where we find a discussion between Yayati and Astaka about the higher worlds and inferior worlds which people attain depending upon their merit and sin. Hinduism always encourages people to accomplish good deeds and attain merit since only a few can attain moksha (liberation from births and deaths).

Points to ponder

1.    What is Raj-niti? What are the duties and obligations of the king?

2.   How can a stature of an Assembly be assessed? - by its grandeur or by the nature of participants? Discuss.

3.   In ‘Divine Comedy’ of Dante, we find the description of different purgatories (worlds where the sinners are ordained to go). Do you feel the Renaissance writers of Christianity were influenced by Hindu scriptures?

Footnotes

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[i]This story is taken from Sabhā Parva of Maha Bharata written by sage Ved Vyasa.

[ii] kaccidarthena vā dharmaṃ dharmeṇārthamathāpi vā |

ubhau vā prīti sāreṇa na kāmevā prabādhase||-Sabhā Parva 5. 20.

[iii] Seven-fold strategies: sāma, dāna, bedha, danḍa, upekṣa, māya, and iṃdrajāla. 

[iv] Sabhā Parva 5.79

[v] nātisītā na cātyuṣṭnā manaśaśca praharṣiṇī -Sabhā Parva 8.3

[vi] artho dharmaśca kāmaśca harṣo dveṣastapo damaḥ -Sabha Parva 11.27

[vii]Seven dvipas: Jambu dvipa (our earth is here), Kusa dvipa, Saaka dveepa, Krauncha dvipa, Saalmali dvipa, Gomedha dvipa, and Pushkara dvipa.

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