Arjun - The Nara Incarnation

Chapter 17

Arjun attention then turned to the elder brother of his father, the blind king Dhritarastra whose aura didn't ease his anguished heart but confuse it more. His attention then turned towards Vidur with whom his uncle was talking . Just looking at him Arjun knew he was a wise man. Even though he was sad with the happenings righteousness didn't leave his face.

Dhritarashtra said, “O Vidur! Perform all the royal funeral rites for Pandu, that lion among kings, and also specially for Madri. For the sake of Pandu and Madri, give away animals, garments, jewels and all kinds of riches to any that ask for them and as much as they want. Perform her rites the way Kunti would. Let her body be covered well, so that the sun and the wind cannot see it. Let there be no lamentations for the unblemished Pandu. He was a king to be praised. And five brave sons have been born to him, like the sons of the gods.”’

An order from the King or the wish of an elder brother?

Arjun wondered what was it.

Vidur consulted a man who was dressed in pure white, ordained with white beautifully constructed ornaments , probably silver. His head was decked with beautiful white crown. And white specks on his black beard was telling the glory this man lived.

"Pitamah Bheeshm " Arjun couldn't help but whispered .

He knew who the man was. His glories used to be his bed time stories. He was in awe of the man since the time he first heard about him.

" I want to be like him . Strong. Powerful. " He remembered his first words that he spoke to his father after learning about Pitamah Bheeshm.

With the tears still in his eyes Arjun stood still. Looking at his Pitamah was like looking at his father.

He knew it was his Pitamah.

But the next whisper he heard of himself shocked him too, " Pita "

Suddenly he felt his Bhrata Bheem holding his hand bringing him to his side embrace, while holding Nakul on the other side . 

He felt a hand rested on his shoulders and when he looked back, it belonged to the eldest son of Pandu, his eldest brother, his teacher and now his father figure too.  His eldest brother held Sehdev and then passed Sehdev to Arjun. Arjun held Sehdev the same way his Bhrata Bheem was holding him. Pecking his forehead he tried to provide the ease to him that he himself didn't had.

He saw his eldest brother supporting his mother while walking into an unknown place.

They soon reached a pure spot and Vidur and Bheeshm performed Pandu's funeral rites.

Without any waste of time, the royal
priests left the city, carrying with them a fragrant and flaming fire for Pandu.

Arjun looked at his father he was laid on a bier and covered with the best of scents and garlands and covered from all sides with cloth. This bier was also adorned with garlands, garments and great riches. He closed his eyes to stop himself from crying. Taking deep breaths he tried to control his restless mind.

Soon Advisers, relatives and friends arrived. Pandu was placed on a supremely decorated hearse, to be drawn by men. With the well-covered Madri, the hearse was then pulled by men. A white umbrella was held above the hearse and whisks made of yak tails were waved. With every musical
instrument being played, it was a majestic scene. At the time of Pandu’s
funeral ceremony, hundreds of men distributed jewels among the crowd.
Large white and pale umbrellas and beautiful garments were brought for
the Kourava. The sacrificial priests wore white and poured offerings into
the blazing and strong fire that went ahead. Thousands of Brahmanas,
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras followed the king, lamenting in grief.

Arjun looked around. It was clear to him that people loved his father. With tears still falling from his eyes. He didn't knew what to feel. Proud or sad?

“O king! O protector! Where are you going, leaving us unprotected and
immersing us in eternal grief?”

These voices were echoing there making him weep along with his brother . He saw his uncle Vidur and Pitamah  Bheeshm crying too.

At last they came to a beautiful, sacred and wooded region on the banks of the Ganga. On the plain, Pandu’s hearse, truthful lion among men whose deeds were untainted, and that of his wife were laid down.The bodies were then scented with all kinds of perfumes, sanctified with pure fragrances, consecrated with the best of oils and bathed.

Water was sprinkled from a hundred golden pots. White sandalwood paste was smeared, mixed with black aloe and the juice of coconuts. They were then draped in white cotton garments. Dressed in these garments, that bull among men, tiger among men, seemed to be alive, as if sleeping on an expensive bed. When the other funeral rites were over, the sacrifical priests gave their consent. The ornamented bodies of the king and Madri were covered in ghee. Fragrances like sandalwood, tunga, padmaka and many other scents were applied and and fire was lit again.

It was tough seeing your father and mother in flames once. But it's life taking to see the process repeated again.And Arjun saw the fire consuming his mother and father again..

Fire took everything from him again.

On seeing the two bodies in flames, Kousalya, mother of Pandu lamented in her son’s name and fell down on the ground, unconscious.

Seeing her fall down in this way, the citizens of the town and the country also wept in grief, out of the affection they
bore for the king.

Shantanu’s son Bhishma wept in great
sorrow, as did the immensely wise Vidura. All the other Kurus were also
extremely miserable and unhappy. Then Bhishma, Vidura, the king, the relatives and the women of the Kuru lineage offered the water.  When the water ceremony was over, all the ordinary people sorrowed and consoled the Pandavas, who were overcome with grief. With their relatives, the Pandavas slept on the ground. The Brahmanas and the citizens also slept on the ground.

Arjun slept on the ground when a memory hit him.

" I am coming to find you Pitashree " Little Arjun shouted while playing hide and seek with his father . And then started his counting.

एकः

द्वौ

त्रयः

चत्वारः

पञ्च

षट्

सप्त

अष्ट

नव

दश

He finished his counting and started searching for him eagerly. But soon got sad when he was unable too. Sadly he sat on the ground and laid down.

" Where are you Pitashree? " He spoke in broken tone .

" Here I am " A voice spoke and bent down to take his son on his lap .

" I thought I will not be able find you " Little Arjun spoke.

" If you are unable to find me. I will come back to you " He pecked his cheeks to make his son giggle.

Arjun opened his eyes and looked at the dark sky . He waited and waited. He waited for thirteen days yet his father never came back to find him.

Later, the kshatta, the king, Bhishma and the relatives performed Pandu’s shraddha, offering the immortal cake. The Kurus and the chief Brahmanas were offered a feast in their thousands. A large number of gems and the best of villages were given to the chief Brahmanas. When the period of uncleanliness was over, the Pandavas,were taken by the citizens to the city of Varanasahrya.