121) When he asked thus, Sri Keshava said – “Your brother has a slightly tall body. Therefore, he is undergoing all this sorrow”. When he started revealing more, Draupadi stopped him indicating through the corner of her eyes.
122) Only four of them – Sri Krishna, Satyabhama, Vrikodara and Draupadi – know all the lakshanaa shastra. There is no fifth one. This is very pristine knowledge.
Note: Samudrika Lakshanaa Shastra is the science of omens, signs and indicators.
123) Wary that Yudhishthira, being a keen learner, may yearn to learn this shastra due to the occasion, Draupadi stopped Sri Vasudeva out of greed.
124) Out of affection for Draupadi, Sri Krishna did not continue. He changed the topic and made him forget it (the conversation).
125) A slightly larger abdomen, a big reproductive organ and a longer left shoulder – these were the other physical defects of Arjuna.
126) Although they were clearly visible, Sri Krishna did not mention them. These defective signs always cause loss of knowledge and happiness.
127) Amongst all sentient beings, the only ones who are completely free from all defective attributes and qualify for complete knowledge, bliss, strength and other auspicious attributes are Draupadi and Maruti (Bhimasena).
128-129) These lakshanas are indicative of eternal freedom from sorrow and for immense bliss. Such indications are higher in Rugmini and Satyabhama who are none other than Sri (Mahalakshmi) when compared to Vayu and Bharati. More than all of them, these physical characteristics are present in Sri Vyasa and other forms of Sri Hari but in none else. He alone is complete with all auspicious attributes.
130) When Arjuna entered the hall of the Yajna along with the sacrificial horse, he paid his respects to Sri Keshava and his brothers. They too comforted Arjuna.
131) After that, under the protection of the hero of the Yadavas, being instructed by Sri Vyasa and being conducted by Sages, the Yajna became especially resplendent. All the Kings and the best amongst Brahmanas came there and participated.
132) Being attended by the three forms of Sri Hari – the two Krishnas and the Bhargava – that Yajna became splendorous just like the world that shines due to the Vishwa, Taijasa and Prajna forms of Sri Hari.
Note: In that Ashwamedha Yajna, Sri Hari was present in three forms – Vasishta Krishna, Yadava Krishna and Sri Parashurama.
133) The Yajna of the Pandavas, being graced by the presence of Brahma, Shiva, Indra and the other Devatas became especially glorious, just like the Yajna of Brahma in the past and like the Yajna through which Indra became Shatakratu.
Note: Indra performed a hundred Ashwamedha Yajnas and was called Shata-kratu thereafter. The Yajna of the Pandavas is compared here to that hundredth Yajna of Devendra.
134) Amongst Devatas, Gandharvas, Sages and humans who followed Swadharma, there was no one who did not participate! Due to the presence of Devatas in their best appearances along with their wives, that gathering appeared splendorous like Devaloka.
135) In that gathering, discussions about philosophical truths took place and all philosophical purports that were under question were decisively cleared without any trace of doubt by the three forms of Sri Hari through their excellent and auspicious words.
136) In that excellent Yajna, the best of the Gandharvas sang beautifully. The best of Apsaras danced well. Brahmanas continuously engaged in philosophical discussions. Groups of Devatas and Kings displayed their greatness separately. In this way, that emperor of all Yagas took place.
137) All the Devata women, with faces like blossomed lotuses, got together with the wives of Sri Krishna and moved around in that sacrificial hall, being well made-up and with the company of Apsaras. They joyously participated in listening to the excellent tales of Sri Hari.
138) There was no one left with his desires unfulfilled when the son of Vayu, the greatest amongst intellectuals, stood there giving Daana. There was not one person left still desiring Moksha, or wealth, or philosophical inquisitiveness or food.
139-141) Everyday there were mounds of food, pools of dishes and rivers of delicacies. Ponds of sweet dishes made of milk and honey were created. Huge ponds of sandalpaste and other perfumes that were fit for consumption by Devatas, eyeliners, Alaktakas and other decorative items and wells full of precious stones and gold and other unlimited food items and drinks were available there. Perfumes, liquids and other materials of luxury were arranged in the thousands by Bhimasena. The entire place was full of pleasing material comforts just as in the Devaloka.
142) All the people who witnessed the Yajna remarked that the Yajna conducted by Sri Krishna was like the ones performed by Rama, Brahma and Indra and that no other Yajna matched it.
143) In this way, that Yajna, which had Sri Hari himself as the Devata, was conducted as a five-fold one and performed in the best possible mode. It went on joyfully, increasing in splendour day after day, for fifteen years.
Note: Each Ashwamedha requires three years to complete when performed in the best possible way. The Pandavas performed five such Yajnas, one for each brother. Each Yajna can be performed as ‘Adhama’, ‘Madhyama’ and ‘Uttama’ Kalpa. The Pandavas performed it in the Uttama Kalpa which means in each and every ritual the best possible option was chosen.
144-145) At the end of the Yajna, the Pandavas handed over their entire treasury, along with the entire land and all jewellery apart from the mangalya on their wives’ necks to the eternal and worship-worthy Sri Vyasa, so he could divide it as per Shastras and distribute it amongst the Ritviks of the Yajna. Isn’t division the favorite activity of Sri Vyasa? Hence they gave it to him so he could divide and distribute.
146) One more reason for handing it over whole heartedly was that it was Sri Hari himself who resides inside of all Dvijas and gets everything done. They submitted their bodies, senses, prana, manas and even their chetana to him and bowed with reverence.
147) “All of this is yours. We too are yours. There is nothing anywhere that is ours. O Lord! You alone are independent. No one else is. You are always complete in all respects” – they said thus with great joy.
148) Accordingly when Sri Vyasa distributed the dakshina, the Sages replied – “We are handing this land back to the Pandavas. This material is sufficient for us. With regard to the task of ruling the Earth, these (Pandavas) are most qualified”.
Note: The Brahmanas accepted the gold, jewellery, cows and other remuneration offered to them and returned the land back to the Pandavas.
149) Hearing those words of the Sages, the Pandavas and their wives prostrated again to Sri Vyasa and requested – “Having handed over this land, duly obtained by us through Dharma, to you at the end of this Yajna, we shall retire to the forests to perform Tapas”.
150) When they said thus, upon the request of the Sages, Sri Vyasa, the lord of all, said – “This gold is verily wealth for the Munis. As per my orders, you shall enjoy this entire land”.
Note: Sri Vyasa instructed the Pandavas to rule the Kingdom once again.
151) “Since it had been donated to me, it is being given as a blessing to you. Therefore, there is no defect in receiving it back. I am your grandfather and your Guru especially. I am your lord. Therefore, you are fit to receive it from me”.
Note: It is considered as a great sin to accept anything given in Daana. Hence Sri Vyasa is explaining here why that sin would not attach to the Pandavas by them getting back the land they donated.
152) When Sri Vyasa said thus, Pandavas accepted the Kingdom and handed over all the gold, which he distributed amongst the Vipras. Greatly pleased, he gave his part of the gold to Kunti.
153) Prabhu Sri Vyasa gave excellent jewels and precious stones to the Pandavas and their wives. He then gave separate and appropriate boons to each of them. The Pandavas bowed to him with great joy.
154) Since the Yajna was done with excellent Dakshina, Sri Vyasa converted it into a three-fold Yajna with Dakshina and transformed each of those three Ashwamedhas into a Bahusuvarnaka Yajna.
Note: Any Yajna in which excess Dakshina is given is termed as a Bahusuvarnaka Yajna. Sri Vyasa blessed the Pandavas such that each of the Ashwamedhas gave them thrice the punya. The five Ashwamedhas they performed thereby became equivalent to fifteen Ashwamedhas!
155) The Pandavas, along with Sri Krishna, completed the Avabhruta snana, and appeared splendorous like five Indras. The Devatas praised them.
156-158) When the Yajna was being praised thus, an Asura who was the presiding deity of anger, arrived there in the guise of a mongoose. He let out a terrible roar and started berating the Yajna and its performers. When asked, he said – “A Brahmana with his wife and son was engaged in the Uncha vrutti and offered Saktu-prastha with great devotion. He gave it to Yama who had come there in the form of a guest. This Yajna is not equal to even one-sixteenth of the punya fetched by that act”. When the Sages asked for the reason, he started explaining.
Note: Uncha vrutti is subsistence by picking up left-over grains. Saktu-prastha is the offering in Vaishwadeva rituals.
159-161) “One side of my body that was cleaned by the water used for washing that guest’s feet turned into gold. Even after taking bath in many great rivers and bathing in the waters of Yajnas, the other side of my body did not turn into gold”. Knowing the real reason behind this, the Sages and Sri Krishna laughed to ensure the Asura went to Andhantamas. Immediately he vanished. Subsequently he attained Andhantamas. That is why one side of his body had turned golden.
Anandatirtha Prathishtana 