Swargarohana Parva

Swargarohana Parva

Swargarohana Parva (Sanskrit: स्वर्गारोहण पर्व) or the Book of the Ascent to Heaven, is the last of 18 Maha Parvas (Books) and 97^th of the 100 Upa Parvas (Sections) of Vyasa Mahabharata. Swargarohana Parva describes the arrival of Yudhishthira in heaven.

After entering heaven, Yudhishthira is frustrated to find people in heaven who had sinned on earth. He then asks for a visit to hell and there he finds people who he thought were good and virtuous on earth. He questions whether Gods were fair at all, whether virtue during earthly life means anything ever and then in anger demands that he be sent to hell so he can be with those people who were good, just, virtuous, who he loved and who loved him. The Gods then remove the fake hell they had created for show. Lord Dharma appears and congratulates Yudhishthira for always standing up for justice, truth, virtue and other aspects of Dharma. Yudhishthira is happy. He meets Krishna next, in his Brahmi-form. He sees Draupadi in heaven who is revealed as Shri. He meets Arjuna, Bhima, Bhishma, Nakula, Sahadeva and others who are happy and shining like sun, all in heaven. He finds the 16,000 wives of Krishna as happy Apsaras of heaven. He also meets Karna, the Kauravas and is happy to see them all. This Parva also extols the greatness of Mahabharata.

This is the only Upa Parva in this Maha Parva, and the BORI Critical Edition, which is used for my Kannada translation, has a total of 194 Shlokas organized into 5 Chapters. It is one of the shortest books in the Mahabharata. While the number of Chapters in this Parva is the same in all other Recensions, the number of Shlokas differ (215 according to the Nilakantha Recension, 232 according to the Kumbhakonam Recension and 200 according to the Southern Recension). It may be noted here that the published Nilakantha and Kumbhakonam Recensions each has an additional Chapter, containing about 100 Shlokas, from Harivamsha that describes the method of listening to Mahabharata.

Chapter 1

This Chapter has a total of 26 (other Recensions too have 26 Shlokas except the Kumbhakonam Recension which has one less) Shlokas.

When Yudhishthira enters heaven, the first person he sees there is Duryodhana – shining like another sun, with all the effulgence of a great king, seated amidst the Sadhyas and the Devas. Yudhishthira cries out loud in protest: “I don’t want to experience these realms together with Duryodhana! He was the cause of all destructions on earth – our relatives and friends! He caused immense sorrow for us brothers and our wife Draupadi! I don’t want to see him! I would like to go where my brothers are!” Then Narada smilingly tells him that all oppositions get destroyed in heaven (स्वर्गॆ निवासॊ राजॆंद्र विरुद्धं चापि नश्यति।)...All those who sacrificed their bodies in the fight, those who followed the Kshatriya Dharma even in the face of great fear, have attained the status of the Suras. You should forget all the difficulties you experienced because of the dice game… This is heaven and there are no enemies here (स्वर्गॊऽयं नॆह वैराणि भवंति मनुजाधिप।)!” Yudhishthira continues to insist on seeing his brothers.

Chapter 2

This Chapter has a total of 54 Shlokas according to all the Recensions including the Critical Edition.

The Devas say that as per Indra’s command, they would do what Yudhishthira wishes (प्रियॆ हि तव वर्तामॊ दॆवराजस्य शासनात्।) and instruct their messenger to show Yudhishthira his beloved ones. Then Yudhishthira is led by a Devaduta – a celestial messenger, and the journey appeared like a journey to the hell. Here is a brief description of what Yudhishthira witnessed on his way to see his brothers:

It was enveloped in thick darkness, and covered with hair and moss forming its grassy vesture. Polluted with the stench of sinners, and miry with flesh and blood. (तमसा संवृतं घॊरं कॆशशैवलशाद्वलम्। युक्तं पापकृतां गंधैर्मांसशॊणितकर्दमम्॥). It abounded with gadflies and stinging bees and gnats and was endangered by the inroads of grisly bears (दंशॊत्थानं सझिल्लीकं मक्षिकामशकावृतम्। इतश्चॆतश्च कुणपैः समंतात् परिवारितम्॥). Rotting corpses lay here and there. Overspread with bones and hair, it was noisome with worms and insects. It was skirted all along with a blazing fire (अस्थिकॆशसमाकीर्णं कृमिकीटसमाकुलम्। ज्वलनॆन प्रदीप्तॆन समंतात् परिवॆष्टितम्॥). It was infested by crows and other birds and vultures, all having beaks of iron, as also by evil spirits with long mouths pointed like needles. It abounded with inaccessible fastnesses like the Vindhya mountains (अयॊमुखैश्च काकॊलैर्गृर्ध्रैश्च समभिद्रुतम्। सूचीमुखैस्तथा प्रॆतैर्विंध्यशैलॊपमैर्वृतम्॥). Human corpses were scattered over it, smeared with fat and blood, with arms and thighs cut off, or with entrails torn out and legs severed (मॆदॊरुधिरयुक्तैश्च चिन्नबाहूरुपाणिभिः। निकृत्तोदरपादैश्च तत्र तत्र प्रवॆरितैः॥). Along that path so disagreeable with the stench of corpses and awful with other incidents (स तत्कुणपदुर्गंधमशिवं रॊमहर्षणम्।), the righteous-souled king proceeded, filled with diverse thoughts. He beheld a river full of boiling water and, therefore, difficult to cross, as also a forest of trees whose leaves were sharp swords and razors (ददर्शॊष्णॊदकैः पूर्णां नदीं चापि सुदुर्गमाम्। असिपत्रवनं चैव निशितक्षुरसंवृतम्॥). There were plains full of fine white sand exceedingly heated, and rocks and stones made of iron. There were many jars of iron all around, with boiling oil in them (करंभवालुकास्तप्ता आयसीश्च शिलाः पृथक्। लॊहकुंभीश्च तैलस्य क्वथ्यमानाः समंततः॥). Many a Kuta-salmalika was there, with sharp thorns and, therefore, exceedingly painful to the touch. The son of Kunti beheld also the tortures inflicted upon sinful men (कूटलाल्मलिकं चापि दुस्पर्षं तीक्ष्णकंटकम्। ददर्श चापि कौंतॆयॊ यातनाः पापकर्मिणाम्॥).

Seeing all these, Yudhishthira asked the messenger as to how long they need to traverse on this path, and what is this place of the Gods. The messenger tells him – “This is where you wanted to come. I need to return now and you can also return with me if you are tired.” Overpowered by the stench, Yudhishthira turns to go back. He then hears the pathetic calls of souls that were being tortured there: “Oh Yudhishthira! Stay for a while longer! At your approach, a delightful breeze has begun to blow, bearing the sweet scent of your person. Great has been our relief at this. Beholding you, great has been our happiness. Let that happiness last longer through your stay here, for a few moments more. Do you remain here, for even a short while. As long as you are here, torments cease to afflict us.” These and many similar words, uttered in piteous voices by persons in pain, the king heard in that region, wafted to his ears from every side.

Yudhishthira questions them who they are, and soon learns that what he heard were the voices of his beloved brothers and Draupadi. He then reflects – “What perverse destiny is this? What sinful acts were committed by my brothers and Draupadi for which they have been assigned this region of fetid smell and great woe? For what actions of Duryodhana, with all his sinful followers, has become invested with such prosperity? Am I asleep or awake? Am I conscious or unconscious? Or, is all this a mental delusion due to disorders of the brain?” Greatly annoyed, Yudhishthira asks the messenger to return to those who had sent him, for he will stay back to comfort his afflicted brothers. The messenger returns to the Devas and reports to Indra of everything that happened.

Chapter 3

This Chapter has a total of 41 (44 according to Nilakantha Recension, 45 according to Kumbhakonam Recension and 45 according to the Southern Recension) Shlokas.

Within no time did the Devas, led by Indra, arrived where Yudhishthira stood, and with their arrival, all the darkness, stench and pitiful cries that overwhelmed the region, disappeared. With them came the cool and fragrant breeze. Indra tells Yudhishthira that the game is over, and he has won the undecaying realms. He asks him not to get angered on what was done to him because “Of both good and bad there is abundance. He who enjoys first the fruits of his good acts must afterwards endure Hell. He, on the other hand, who first endures Hell, must afterwards enjoy Heaven. He whose sinful acts are many enjoys Heaven first (शुभानामशुभानां च द्वौ राशी पुरुषर्षभ। यः पूर्वं सुकृतं भुंक्तॆ पश्चान्निरयमॆति सः॥ पूर्वं नरकभाग्यस्तु पश्चात् स्वर्गमुपैति सः। भूयिष्टं पापकर्मा यः स पूर्वं स्वर्गमश्नुतॆ॥)…Since you acted deceitfully with Drona with regard to his son, you had to get deceived with this hell (व्याजॆन हि त्वया द्रॊण उपचीर्णः सुतं प्रति। व्याजॆनैव ततॊ राजन् दर्शितॊ नरकस्तव॥).” Indra asks Yudhishthira to see all his beloved ones in heaven and enjoy the heavenly delights.

Then Lord Dharma addresses Yudhishthira saying that he is pleased with Yudhishthira’s success in all the three tests he was subjected to: first one in Dvaitavana, when he was searching for the Aruni; the second one in the form of a dog on the way to the heaven; and the third one was to show his beloved ones in hell.

Following this, Yudhishthira immerses himself in the divine river Ganga and rejects his human body. He adorns a divine body without any enmity and worry. He then set out in the company of the Devas and Maharshis.

Chapter 4

This Chapter has a total of 19 (23 according to Nilakantha Recension, 22 according to Kumbhakonam Recension and 22 according to the Southern Recension) Shlokas.

Yudhishthira arrives where all his beloved ones are seated. He beholds Krishna Govinda in his brahma-form, but recognizable because of its similarity to that form already known to Yudhishthira  (ददर्श तत्र गॊविंदं ब्राह्मॆण वपुषान्वितम्। तॆनैव दॄष्टरूपॆण सादृश्यॆनॊपसूचितम्॥). He sees Arjuna attending to him. Likewise he sees Karna among the Adityas, Bhimasena among the Maruts, and Nakula-Sahadeva among the Ashwins. Indra then introduces Draupadi, who had assumed her earlier form of Shri, the five sons of Draupadi among the Gandharvas, Dhritarashtra as the Gandharva king, Karna among the Adityas, Satyaki and other Vrishni-Andhaka heroes among the Devas, Vasus and Maruts, Abhimanyu with Soma, Pandu with his wives Kunti and Madri on a celestial Vimana, Bhishma among the Vasus, and Drona besides Brihaspati.

Chapter 5

This Chapter has a total of 54 (68 according to Nilakantha Recension, 86 according to Kumbhakonam Recension and 53 according to the Southern Recension) Shlokas.

Janamejaya, to whom the entire Mahabharata was narrated, asks Vaishampayana, the narrator thus: “…How long did these kings and princes lived in heaven? Was this their permanent abode? If not, where did they go and what happened to them once the effects of their Karmas were exhausted?”

Vaishampayana tells him that all Karmas should end (गंतव्यं कर्मणामंतॆ सर्वॆण मनुजाधिप।). What happened to them is a divine secret, which was revealed by Vyasa. They all became one with the original forms, from whom they had taken birth on earth. Bhishmabecame one of the eight Vasus, Drona entered Brihaspati, Kritavarma became one with the Maruts, Pradyumna entered Sanatkumara, Dhritarashtra together with Gandhari attained Kubera’s realm; Virata, Drupada, Drishtaketu, Nishatha, Akrura, Samba, Bhanu, Kampa, Viduratha, Bhurishrava, Shala, Bhuri, Ugrasena, Kamsa, Vasudeva, Uttara and Shankha entered Vishvedevas. Abhimanyu became Varcha, a son of Moon. Karna entered Surya. Shakuni entered Dwapara and Dhrishtadyumna the Agni. Balarama becomes once again Naga Ananta and enters Rasatala. The 16,000 wives of Krishna drown themselves in river Saraswati and became Apsaras. Ghatotkacha became an Yaksha. Duryodhana and his brothers, who were Rakshasas earlier, attained the realms of Indra, Varuna and Kubera.

The account narrated here is similar to the narration in Amshavatarana Parva in Adi Parva, where it was said that all the main characters in Mahabharata were, in part on in whole, various great beings.

Next in the Chapter is Suta Ugrashrava’s narration of how Janamejaya ended the Sarpasatra (snake sacrifice), and here ends the Mahabharata as told to Janamejaya by Vaishampayana during the sacrifice.

The rest of the Chapter extols the greatness of Mahabharata. A number of verses from here towards the end of this Chapter, which is also an end of Mahabharata narration, unsurprisingly echo verses from near its beginning in Anukramanika and Parvasangraha Parvas of Adi Parva. 

धर्मॆ चार्थॆच कामॆ च मॊक्षॆ च भरतर्षभ। यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नॆहास्ति न तक्वचित्॥

What is found here concerning Dharma, the proper making of wealth, pleasure and final release, is to be found elsewhere too. But what is not found here is to be found nowhere.

Additionally, we learn here that Vyasa took three years to compose Mahabharata, following which Narada narrated this to the Gods, Asita Devala to the Pitris, Shuka to Yakshas and Rakshasa and Vaishampayana to the humans (नारदॊऽश्रावयद्दॆवानसितॊ दॆवलः पितॄन्। रक्षॊ यक्षान्शुकॊ मर्त्यान् वैशंपायन ऎव तु॥). We also learn that Vyasa taught the entire Mahabharata through these four verses:

1. मातापितृसहस्राणि पुत्रदारशतानि च। संसारॆष्वनुभूतानि यांति यासंति चापरॆ॥

Thousands of mothers and fathers, hundreds of sons and wives come into existence after existence only to pass away, and more will do so.

2. हर्षस्थानसहस्राणि भयस्थानशतानि च। दिवसॆ मूढमाविशंति न पंडितम्॥

Thousands of occasions of joy, hundreds of occasions for fear trouble the foll day after day, but not for the learned man.

3. ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्विरौम्यॆष न च कश्चिच्छृणॊति मॆ। धर्मादद्र्थश्च कामश्च स किमर्थं न सॆव्यतॆ॥

Here I cry out, arms raised, and no one hears me: "Both wealth and pleasure spring from Dharma, so why is Dharma not followed?

4. न जातु कामान्न भयान्न लॊभा धर्मं त्ययॆज्जीवतस्यापि हॆतॊः। नित्यॊ धर्मः सुखदुःखॆ त्वनित्यॆ जीवॊ नित्यॊ हॆतुरस्यः त्वनित्यः॥

Not for pleasure, not for fear, not for greed should one ever abandon Dharma - not even to save one's life. Dharma is eternal, happiness and misery are not eternal. The living self is eternal; the body through which it lives is not.

The Chapter ends with the claim that the Epic has all the shades of Truth in it.

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