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STORIES · THE MAHĀBHĀRATA · Śānti
Yudhiṣṭhira's Grief and Coronation
Classical
After the water-rites, the Pāṇḍavas stay a month outside the city for mourning, joined by Vyāsa, Nārada, Devala and other rishis who have come to see the king. Nārada asks if he does not rejoice in the victory. Yudhiṣṭhira says that it feels like a defeat, because he has killed his kin through greed, caused the deaths of Abhimanyu and Draupadī's sons, and, worst of all, killed Karṇa without knowing he was his brother.
He tells his brothers that he will renounce the world. Arjuna replies that the king's talk is out of keeping with a kṣatriya. Bhīma is sharper: he says Yudhiṣṭhira's mind has gone blind with scripture, and that the war was pointless if they were to end in the forest, like a man who digs a well and stops before reaching water. Nakula and Sahadeva and Draupadī add their voices. Vyāsa comes and reasons with him at length.
At Hastināpura, with the aid of Kṛṣṇa, the Brahmins greet the king with praise. One is a rākṣasa named Cārvāka, disguised as a priest and a friend of Duryodhana, who accuses Yudhiṣṭhira of killing his kin. The Brahmins burn him with the force of their cries. Kṛṣṇa explains that Brahmā's boon to Cārvāka had one gap: he would die if he insulted Brahmins. Yudhiṣṭhira should therefore stop grieving.
The coronation follows. Yudhiṣṭhira sits eastwards on a golden seat, with Kṛṣṇa and Sātyaki before him, Bhīma and Arjuna at his sides, and Kuntī, Nakula and Sahadeva on an ivory throne. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī, Vidura, Dhaumya, Sañjaya and Yuyutsu sit near. Dhaumya lights the fire and pours the libations. Kṛṣṇa pours water from the conch over the king's head, and the old Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the subjects follow. The drums sound.
Yudhiṣṭhira insists that Dhṛtarāṣṭra remain the true lord of the realm and that the people continue to obey him. He appoints Bhīma as heir apparent, Vidura as his counsellor for the affairs of state, and Sañjaya to oversee the finances. The throne is won, but the king still has to learn how to rule, and his next step is to go to Bhīṣma on the bed of arrows.
Told by Vaiśampāyana → Janamejaya
Who: Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Draupadī, Vyāsa, Nārada, Kṛṣṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Cārvāka
Bound to
Kuntī Reveals Karṇa's Birth at the Water-Offering origin
Bhishma's bed of arrows: why? (karma explanations) origin
Vyāsa's Counsel and the Plan for the Horse-Sacrifice origin
Yudhishthira's curse: women can no longer keep secrets curse
Places: Gaṅgā bank, Hastināpura
Where this comes from
- read for this telling · Mahabharata, Ganguli translation (text as scanned on archive.org; mahabharataonline.com section pages could not be opened from the working environment) Shanti Parva (Rajadharmanushasana), Sections I, IX-X, XXXVIII-XLII