The Enchanted Lake

THEN Yudhisthira spake to Nakula:
"Thou son of Madri, climb upon a tree,
And look to all ten quarters, if by chance
Water be nigh, or plants which love the pool;
Thy brothers faint with thirst."

So Nakula
Clomb a tall tree; and looking, called aloud:
"Green leaves and water plants I see, which love
The marish and the pool; also I hear
The cry of cranes; yonder will water lie,"

"Go," said the King, "and fetch for us to drink,
Filling thy quiver."

Then sped Nakula,
Obeying Yudhisthira, with swift feet,
And found a crystal pool brimmed to the bank:
The great red-crested cranes stalked on its marge.
And down he flung to drink; but a voice cried:
"Beware to drink, rash youth, ere thou hast made
Answers to such things as I ask of thee
The law of this fair water standeth thus
Arise, and hear, and speak; afterwards drink,
And fill thy quiver!"

But the eager Prince,
Being so parched, quaffed deep, not heeding him,
The Vaksha of the place, and thereupon
Fell lifeless in the reeds.

So, when they looked
To see him coming, and he tarried long,
Again spake Yudhisthira: "Nakula
Lingers too much, my brothers. Sahadev,
Go thou, and bring him back, and bring to drink."

"I go," quoth Sahadev; and sought the pool,
And saw the water, and saw Nakula
Prone on the earth. Then mightily he grieved,
Spying the Prince outstretched , yet, all so fierce
His drouth was, that he ran and flung him down,
Making to quaff; when, once again, the voice

Sounded: "Beware to drink, ere thou dost give
Answer to what things I will ask of thee
This is the law of me, who am the Lord
Of the fair water; rise, and hear, and speak;
Then thou shalt drink and draw."

Yet so the stress
Of thirst o'ercame him, that he heeded not,
But drank, and rose, and - reeled among the reeds
Lifeless.

Then, once again, great Kunti's son
Spake, saying: "O Arjuna, Fear of foes,
These, our twain brethren, tarry; go thyself,
And speed, and bring them back, and bring to drink.
Our trust thou art, for we are sore distressed."

Which hearing, Gudikesá seized his bow
And arrows, and, with drawn sword, sought the pool,
But coming thither, saw those heroes stretched

His brethren, best of men, -in deadly swoon,
Or dead indeed; and deep distraught he stood,
Seeing them thus. All round the wood he gazed,
With lifted bow, and arrow on the string,
Seeking some foe; but when none carne in sight,
So wild his thirst was, and the pool so clear,
He bent his knee to drink, but, bending, heard
That voice cry: "Dost thou this without my leave?
Despite me, Kunti's son, thou canst not drink;
And shalt not, till thou makest answer good
Unto my asking; then mayst thou be free,
O born of Bhârata, to drink and draw!"

Thus sternly stayed, the Prince exclaimed in wrath:
Come forth and show thyself, and fight with me
Pierced by my arrows thou shalt yield the pool."
Then shot he shafts this way and that; and spoke
Those spells which make a feathered barb fly straight;
And darts he flung, of magic might, which find
Th' escaping foe, tracking his winding feet;
Karnis, nârâchas, nâlikas he threw, -
That angry Prince, - covering the sky and wood
With searching barbs. Thereat the voice anew
Mocked him, low laughing: "Son of Pritha, vain
Thine anger is; answer me fair, and drink;
But if thou drinkest ere thou answerest,
Thou shalt not live." Yet was his throat so parched
The Prince regarded not, and stooped, and drank,
And fell down dead.

Then Yudhisthira spake:
Bhima, thou Terror of thy foes, see now
Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadev, are gone
To fetch us water, but they come not back.
Seek them, and bring to drink."

And Bhima said,
So be it."And he went unto the place
Where those, his mighty-hearted brethren, lay.

But when he saw them -all three - dead and stark,
Sore mourned that long-armed lord, and gazed around,
Deeming some Yaksha or some Râkshasa
Had wrought their doom, and chafing for the fight.
"Put first," quoth he, "t'were good to drink," - so sore
The drouth oppressed; and to the pool he sped,
Thinking to quaff, when yet again that voice
Echoed Dare not to drink! So stands the law
Of this fair water; answer first, then drink!"
But Bhima, parched and haughty, answered nought,
Lapping the sweet wave; and in lapping, fell.

Then, long time left alone, Kunti's wise son
Uprose, - great Yudhisthira, - sorrowful,
Perplexed in thought, and strode into the wood:
A leafy depth, where never foot was heard
Of man, but shy deer roamed, and shaggy bears
Rustled, and jungle-hens clucked in the shade;
With tall trees crowded, in whose crown wild bees
Swarmed buzzing, and strange birds builded their nests.
Through this green darkness wending, Yudhisthir
passed to the pool, and marked its silver face
Shine in the light, rimmed round with purple cups
Of lotus- blossoms, all as if 'twere made
By Viswakarnia, architect divine;
And all its gleaming shallows and bright bays
With water-plants were broken, - lilies, reeds;
And framed about with ketuk-groves, and clumps
Of sweet rose-laurel and the sacred fig;
Insomuch that the King stood wondering there,
Albeit heart- sorrowful.

For there he saw,
Stretched dead together, - as the world's lords die,
Indra and all, at every yuga's end, -
His-warrior brethren. Prone Arjuna lay,
Beside his bow and arrow; Bhima prone,
With Nakula and Sahadev; each void
Of life and motion; and, beholding these,

His soul sank, and he fetched a grievous sigh.
Bitterly at that sight lamented he,
Saying: "Ah, Bhima! O my brother, named
From the grim wolf, I vain is the vow thou mad'st
To break the thigh of fell Duryodhana,
In battle with thy mace. Dead art thou now,
And those words wind. Brother and faithful friend, -
Who wast so princely hearted, and upheld'st
The fortune of the Kurus, - vows of men
Fail ofttimes, being blind, but this of thine
Was noble; wherefore hath it borne not fruit?
O Dhananjaya, conqueror of wealth,
My joy, my brave Arjuna! At thy birth
The glad gods spake to Kunti: 'This thy son
Shall be like Indra with the thousand eyes.'
And northwards of the Paripatra hills
All people cried: 'Here is the chief shall bring
The glory back to us, having such strength

That in the battle none will make him fly,
And none shall stand when he pursueth.' How,
Ah, Jishnu! - how is this betided here,
Killing those hopes with thee, with thee, whose love
Made all our dangers sweet? And Sahadev,
And Nakula, so valiant in the fight,
So high and gallant, gifted like the gods, -
How have ye fallen? Who could conquer you?
Is my heart stone, that now it breaketh not,
Seeing these great twins gone, the first of men,
Heroes, the half of whose renownèd work
Was yet to do? Ye knew the Shastras, -knew
The times and places and observances,
And kept the rites; how lie ye on the earth,
Unconquered ones, thus slain, thus overcome,
And not a wound to show - Day! but the strings
Not slipped into the notches of your bows?"

So broke the sorrow forth from Yudhisthir,
Beholding all four brethren lying still,
Stark, like four corpses set asleep by Death;
Much grieved he, and the marvel chilled his blood:
Nor wist he, though so wise, whither to look
For that which slew them. Yet, close-pondering,
Unto himself he spake: "No hurts they bear
Made by a mortal weapon, nor is print
Of footmark nigh, save theirs; this is some Bhût,
Some spirit of the waste! But let me drink,
And afterward consider; it may be
The vile Duryodhana hath drugged the pool,
By counsel of Gandhâra's King; the wise
Trust never him with senses unsubdued,
To whom things lawful and unlawful count
One and the same; yea, but this thing might be
Wrought by hid hatred of Duryodhana!"

Thus mused the King, but murmured presently:
Pure and unsullied seems the water,- fresh
My brothers' faces are; no poison-stain
Mars limb or lip! 'Tis Yama's self hath come,
The conqueror of all, and slain them here,
Whom none but he dared strike, being so strong."

So saying, to the brink he drew, athirst,
And stooped to drink, when, close at hand, he heard
A bird's cry; and the Yaksha, taking shape,
Spake: "A gray crane I am, feeding on fish
And water-weeds; 'tis I have sent yon four
Into the regions of the dead, and thou
Shalt go, the fifth, great Raja, following them,
Except thou makest answers fair and good
To all which I shall ask. Dare not to drink,
Thou son of Kunti! for my law is strong;
Answer, and afterwards drink thou, and draw."

Spake Yudhisthir: "Who art thou? Art thou chief
Of Rudras, or of Vasus, or Marûts?

Tell me! No bird wrought thus, unless a bird
Might overthrow Himavân, and the peaks
Of Paripatra, or the Vindhya crags,
Or Malabar's black ghâts. Ah! terrible
And mighty one, this is a dread deed wrought
This is a marvel, if thou slewedst those
Whom Gods, and Gandharvas, and Asuras,
And Demons dared not face in fight. I know
Nought of thy mind, nor if thou didst this thing
Desiring aught; wonder and fear possess
My burdened heart. I pray thee, show thyself;
Reveal what god thou art who hauntest here."

"Yea, King," came answer, "I am not a bird
Wading the shallows, but a Yaksha dread;
And I, as now thou seest me, killed these four."
Raja (so Vaisampayana, went on),
When Yudhisthira heard those scornful words,
And saw that form, backward he drew a space,
Gazing upon the Shape so fiery-eyed,
Bulked like a crag, with towering head which topped
The fan-palms waving near; shining as shines
The glory of the sun, not to be borne
For splendor; colored like an evening cloud,
And, like a cloud, still shifting. Then it spake,
That monstrous Shade: "These four, though I forbade,
Drank of the pool, despite me, and were slain.
Drink not, O King, if thou desirest life!
O son of Pritha, drink not! Kunti's child,
Answer my questionings; then drink and live!"

"I would not break thy rule," quoth Yudhisthir;
The wise have said, I Keep everywhere the law.'
And, Yaksha, wherein thou wilt question me,
None can speak better than he understands;
So what I know that will I answer. Ask!"

Then thus he questioned, and the King replied.

YAKSHA. What teacheth division 'twixt spirit and frame?
And which is the practice assisteth the same?
What finally freeth the spirit? and how
Doth it find a new being? Resolve me these now.

KING. The Veds division plainly show;
By worship rightly man doth go;
Dharma the soul will surely free;
In truth its final rest shall be.

YAKSHA. How cometh a man in the Veds to be wise?
What bringeth the knowledge of God to his eyes?
What learning shall teach him the uttermost lore?
And whence will he win it? Reply to these four.

KING. By hearing Scripture man acquires;
By doing it his soul aspires;
The utmost lore is conquiering sense,
Which cometh of obedience.

YAKSHA. How wendeth a Brahman to heavenly rest?
And what is the work which befitteth him best?
And which are the sins that disgrace him? and why
Doth he know himself humble and mortal? Reply!

KING. Reading the Vedas leads to rest;
Pure meditation fits him best;
Slander and cruelty defame;
And Death stamps him and all the same.

YAKSHA. Who is it that, gifted with senses to see,
To hear, taste, smell, handle, and seeming to be
Sagacious, strong, fortunate, able, and fair,
Hath never once lived, though he breatheth the air?

KING. The man who, having, doth not give
Out of his treasure to these five, -
Gods, guests, and Pitris, kin, and friend,
Breathes breath, but lives not to life's end.

YAKSHA. What thing in the world weigheth more than the world?
What thing goeth higher than white clouds are curled?
What thing fleeth quicker than winds o'er the main?
And what groweth thicker than grass on the plain?

KING. A mother's heart outweighs the earth;
A father's fondness goeth forth
Beyond the sky; thought can outpass
The winds; and woes grow more than grass.

YAKSHA. Whose eyes are unclosed, though he slumbers all day?
And what's born alive without motion? and, say,
What moveth, yet lives not? and what, as it goes,
Wastes not, but still waxes? Resolve me now those.

KING. With unclosed eyes a fish doth sleep;
And new-laid eggs their place will keep;
Stones roll - and streams, that seek the sea,
The more they flow the wider be.

VAKSHA. What help is the best help to virtue? and then,
What way is the best way to fame among men?
What road is the best road to heaven? and how
Shall a man live most happy? Resolve me these now.

KING. Capacity doth virtue gain;
Gift-giving, will renown obtain;
Truth is to heaven the best of ways
And a kind heart wins happy days.

VAKSHA. What soul hath a man's which is his, yet another's?
What friend do the gods grant, the best of all others?
What joy in existence is greatest? and how
May poor men be rich and abundant? say thou!

KING. Sons are the second souls of man;
And wives the heaven-sent friends; nor can
Among all joys health be surpassed
Contentment answereth thy last.

YAKSHA. Which virtue of virtues is first? and which bears
Most fruit? and which causeth the ceasing of tears?

KING. To bear no malice is the best;
And reverence is fruitfullest;
Subduing self sets grief at rest.

YAKSHA. Still tell me what foeman is worst to subdue?
And what is the sickness lasts lifetime all through?
Of men that are upright say which is the best?
And of those that are wicked, who passeth the rest?
KING. Anger is man's unconquered foe;
The ache of greed doth never go
Who loveth most of saints is first
Of bad men cruel men are worst.

YAKSHA. Good Prince, tell me true, is a Brahmana made
By birthright? or shall it be rightfully said,
If he reads all the Veds, and the Srutis doth know,
He is this? or doth conduct of life make him so?

KING. O Yaksha, listen to the truth:
Not if a man do dwell from youth
Beneath a Brahman's roof, nor when
The Srutis known to holy men
Are learned, and read the Vedas through,
Doth this make any Brahman true.
Conduct alone that name can give
A Brahmana must steadfast live,
Devoid of sin, and free from wrong;
For he who walks low paths along,
Still keeping to the way, shall come
Sooner and safer to his home
Than the proud wanderer on the hill;
And reading, learning, praying, still
Are outward deeds which ofttimes leave
Barren of fruit minds that believe.
Who practises what good he knows,
Himself a Brahmana he shows;
And if an evil nature knew
The sacred Vedas through and through,
With all the Srutis, still must he,
Lower than honest Sudra be.
To know and do the right, and pay
The sacrifice, in peace alway:
This maketh one a Brahmana.

YAKSHA. Right skilfully hast thou my questionings mut
Most pious of princes, and learned! but yet
Resolve me, who liveth though death him befall?
And what man is richest and greatest of all?

KING. Dead though he be, that mortal lives
Whose virtuous memory survives;
And richest, greatest, that one is
Whose soul -indifferent to bliss

Or misery, to joy or pain,
To past or future, loss or gain
Sees with calm eyes all fates befall,
And, needing nought, possesseth all.

Then spake the Yaksha: "Wondrously, O King,
Hast thou replied, and wisely hast fulfilled
The law of this fair water: therefore, drink,
And choose which one of these thy brethren dead
Shall live again."

So Yudhisthira said:
Let Nakula, O Yaksha, have his life,
My dark-browed brother with the fiery eyes,
Straight like a sâla-tree , broad-chested, tall,
That long-armed lord."

"But see where Bhima lies
Dead," spake the spirit, "dearest unto thee;
And where Arjuna sleeps, thy guard and guide.
Why dost thou crave the life of Nakula -
Not thine own mother's son - in Bhima's stead,
Who had the might of countless elephants,
Whom all the people called thy 'Well-Beloved'?
Or wouldst thou see Nakula alive again
In place of great Arjuna, thine own blood.,
Whose valor was the tower of Pandavas?"

But Yudhisthira answered: "Faith and Right,
Being preserved, save all, and, being lost,
Leave nought to save: these therefore I will set
First in my heart. Faithful and right it is
To choose by justice, putting self aside.
Let Nakula live, O Yaksha, for men call
King Yudhisthira "just"; nor will he lose,
Even for love, that name; make Nakula live
Kund and Madri were my father's wives;
Shall one be childless, and the other see
Her sons returning? Madri is to me
As Kunti, as my mother, at this hour;
As she who bore me she that bore the twins;
And justice shall she have, since I am judge.
Let Nakula live, thou Yaksha!"

Then the voice
Sighed sweet, evanishing Ah, noblest Prince,
Ah, Best of Bhârat's Ene! as thou art just,
Lo! all thy brethren here shall live again."