Pāṇḍava Vānavāsa
The Pāṇḍava Vānavāsa is the twelve-year forest exile of Yudhishṭhira and his brothers after they lost the dice game at Hāstinapura. It is the main account of the Vana Parva (also called the Āraṇyaka Parva), the third book of the Mahābhārata. It tells of the Pāṇḍavas leaving Hāstinapura, their stay at Kāmyakavana and Dvaitavana, Arjuna’s journey to win divine weapons, the tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) under Lomaśa, and many teachings and meetings. It is the longest parva of the Mahābhārata.
Departure from Hāstinapura
The dice game ended and the second wager was lost. Dharma now bound the Pāṇḍavas to twelve years in the forest and then one year of ajñātavāsa (living unknown). The five brothers left Hāstinapura on foot with Draupadī and their family priest Dhaumya. They wore deer-skin and bark.
The people of the city, brahmins, merchants and common folk, were full of grief. They followed the Pāṇḍavas a long way and could not bear to be parted from those they loved. Yudhishṭhira was kind by nature. He asked them to go back, and he spoke at length of the harm that comes from leaving one’s own duties and those who depend on one. The citizens spoke movingly of the power of sat-saṅga (company of the righteous): even one day in such company changes the heart. Yet Yudhishṭhira won them over, and they returned (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 1).
Śaunaka’s counsel
At the forest camp the great ṛshi (seer) Śaunaka came to Yudhishṭhira and advised him on how to pass through hard times. He spoke of duḥkha (pain) and sukha (pleasure). Both arise from the mind’s relation to objects, and the wise man who sees that they do not last stays unmoved.
Śaunaka described the methods of yoga for stilling the mind: control of prāṇa (breath), drawing the senses back from their objects, and meditation on the paramātman. He said that the discerning man knows every apparent pleasure holds the seed of pain. That man grows vairāgya (detachment) and turns inward. Śaunaka also told Yudhishṭhira that the exile, though painful, was a time to gather the tapas (austerity) and dharma that would in the end bring victory (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 2).
Akshayapātra
In the early days in the forest, Dhaumya told Yudhishṭhira that the brahmins who came with them were many and needed food. He taught Yudhishṭhira the stotra (hymn of praise) of Sūrya, and Yudhishṭhira made a great prayer to the Sun. Bhagavān Sūrya appeared in person and gave him the Akshayapātra, the vessel that never empties. It would give Draupadī unlimited food each day until she herself had eaten. From that day the Pāṇḍavas and all the brahmins with them were fed without want (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 4–6).
Vyāsa’s gift: the Pratismṛti vidyā
Maharshi Vyāsa came to Yudhishṭhira. With his divine sight he saw that the Pāṇḍavas would need extraordinary weapons to win the coming war. He taught Yudhishṭhira the Pratismṛti vidyā (knowledge). Yudhishṭhira was to give it to Arjuna, who alone had the purity of mind and the strength of tapas to receive the divine astras (weapons) from the devas. Vyāsa told them that Arjuna should do severe tapas, so that the lokapālas (guardians of the directions) and Mahādeva himself would give him the weapons needed to defeat the enemies of dharma (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 7–8).
Surabhi Upākhyāna
At this time Vyāsa visited Dhṛtarāshṭra and told him the Surabhi Upākhyāna (the account of Surabhi). The divine cow Surabhi appeared before Indra, weeping. Indra asked why she wept. She said she saw one of her sons, a farm ox, being beaten without mercy by a farmer. She was divine and could give blessings to the three worlds, yet she could not ease her son’s pain, and her helplessness hurt her. Indra was moved by compassion and sent rain at the right time, which made the farmer stop.
Vyāsa told this account to Dhṛtarāshṭra so that he would think about the suffering his own son Duryodhana was bringing on the Pāṇḍavas, just as Surabhi wept to see her son in pain. It was meant to wake Dhṛtarāshṭra’s conscience (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 9).
Maitreya’s śāpa on Duryodhana
The great ṛshi Maitreya came to Hāstinapura around this time. He advised Duryodhana to make peace with the Pāṇḍavas before disaster came. Duryodhana sat in the assembly and showed open contempt. He tapped his thigh with his hand and smiled in scorn.
Maitreya’s patience was gone. He gave Duryodhana a śāpa (curse): “Because you have shown such pride, Bhīma will shatter this very thigh of yours with his gadā (mace).” Dhṛtarāshṭra was alarmed and begged Maitreya to lift the śāpa. Maitreya answered that it would stand unless Duryodhana made peace with the Pāṇḍavas. Otherwise it would come true exactly as spoken (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 10).
Kirmīra Vadha
The Pāṇḍavas were travelling toward Kāmyakavana. At midnight the rākshasa Kirmīra blocked their path. He was the brother of Baka, whom Bhīma killed at Ekacakrā, and of Hiḍimba, whom Bhīma also killed. Kirmīra named himself and challenged the Pāṇḍavas to fight. He boasted that he would take revenge for his brothers.
Dhaumya ended the rākshasa’s māyā (power of illusion) by ritual means. Bhīma knew Kirmīra and said he remembered well the killing of Baka and Hiḍimba. Bhīma seized Kirmīra and killed him in the paśumāra manner, throttling him and breaking his neck with his bare hands. The Pāṇḍavas then went on in peace to Dvaitavana (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 11).
Arjuna leaves for tapas
The Pāṇḍavas settled at Kāmyakavana. Yudhishṭhira gave the Pratismṛti vidyā to Arjuna, as Vyāsa had told him to. Arjuna took leave of his brothers and Draupadī and went north toward the Himālaya, to do tapas and win divine weapons. Yudhishṭhira was deeply sad at the parting, knowing the forest years without Arjuna would be long (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 12).
Draupadī and Yudhishṭhira on kshamā and pratāpa
During the forest years Draupadī spoke to Yudhishṭhira with great feeling. She questioned his keeping to kshamā (forbearance) when such wrong had been done to them. She said the time for patience was over, that a kshatriya’s dharma called for action, that Yudhishṭhira’s forbearance was misplaced, and that their enemies would only grow bolder.
Yudhishṭhira answered with a careful look at how kshamā and pratāpa (fiery strength) work together. He said both are needed, and a king who acts from anger and not from clear judgment destroys himself. He told her how kshamā guards dharma, and how acting too soon undoes what patience would bring about in time (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 13).
Saubhavadha Upākhyāna
Kṛshṇa came to the Pāṇḍavas’ forest camp and told the whole account of the Saubhavadha, the destruction of Śālva and his vimāna (flying city) Saubha. He told how the death of Śiśupāla had enraged Śālva, who then attacked Dvārakā with supernatural power (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 14–16).
Tīrtha-yātrā
The ṛshi Lomaśa came to the Pāṇḍava camp with a message from Indra. Arjuna was safe and had received divine weapons. Yudhishṭhira should not grieve, but should go on the sacred tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage), which would bring puṇya (merit) equal to great yajñas (fire rituals).
Under Lomaśa’s guidance the Pāṇḍavas went to the holy places of all four directions: Pushkara, Naimisha, Prayāga, the Godāvarī basin, the southern tīrthas, the western coastal places and the great Himālayan shrines. On the way Lomaśa told many upākhyānas (accounts) that shed light on dharma and on the nature of holy places (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 20–36).
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva (Āraṇyaka Parva), Chapter 1
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 2
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 4–6
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 7–8
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 9
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 10
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 11
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 12
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 13
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 14–16
- Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 20–36