Page:Buddhism in Christendom, or, Jesus, the Essene.djvu/449

Rh encounters Duhśâena, who had dragged in Draupaî when she was won as a slave. As a retaliation, Bhîma cuts off his head and drinks his blood on the field of battle. The mighty Karna's head is also taken off by a weapon called an anjalika, launched by Arjuna. Duryodhana, by-and-by, is the only chief of note left alive. He escapes to a subaqueous cavern. There he is sheltered by his magic arts for a time; but, stung by the taunts of his foes, he agrees to come out and fight Bhîma with a club. Bhîma slays him. Nearly all the forces, even of the sons of Pâṇḍu, were slain in the great fight. For victory Yudhishthira had a depeopled Indraprastha.

The termination of the epic is so beautiful that it has been often translated. The five sons of Pâṇḍu, tired even of a heaven in the Khandava wood, resolve to journey to the eternal city on the steeps of Mount Meru. They depart with the royal Draupadî Behind them follows a dog. The king, Yudhishthira, is seventh in the procession. Townsmen and the women of the palace accompany them for a short way, but none say "Return!" The citizens at last bid farewell to the pilgrims. Then the five sons of Pâṇḍu and the queen journey towards the east. They yearn for union with Brahm. All worldly thoughts are sufiocated. They pass many a sea a.nd river, and many weary lands. Yudhishthira walks in front, then Bhîma, then Arjuna; The Twins follow. Then comes the Pearl of Wives~the woman with the lotus eyes. The dog walks last. On the shore of a mighty ocean Arjuna. casts into the waves the celebrated bow Gaṇḍiva and the magic double quiver. Soon the ta.ll steeps of Himavat glow a.bove them. Beyond the Himalayas is a sea of sand. Across this the pilgrims footed wearily in the direction of the Hindoo Koosh, which probably contains the highest mountain peaks of the world. By-and-by—glad sight—the icy spires of the heavenly mount are seen glowing pink in the evening. But poor Draupadî can only see the promised land from afar. She falls with weariness. Arjuna and the Twins also perish. Stout Bhîma is astonished at this, and comes to the conclusion that they are all too gross for heaven.

This mysticism is a little intricate. We have seen from