Mahendra

“ Ah, thought Mahendra, if only it were possible to wipe out with the darkness which filled the sky the story of the few days, revolt which had upset his domestic life, and to peacefully take his old place beside Asha on a mat spread on the open terrace! No questions asked, no explana­tions to render, the old trust, the old love, the old happiness! Alas! it is just that little old place which is so difficult to get back in this world. Mahendra had lost for ever his share of Asha's mat on the terrace. Up to now Mahendra's relations with Binodini had been free. ”

“ It is for her sake that Mahendra hesitates to take refuge unto me."
Just then a flute struck a beautiful tune for a moment; and the supreme form of light said to me; "You had better leave your husband and come unto me. This woman veiled in darkness is the mother of you both. ”

“ There Mahendra saw a map of India in rags and tatters. The gloom over this map was beyond description.
'This is what our Mother India is today,' the Mahatma said. 'She is in the gloom of famine, disease, death, humiliation and destruction.'
'Why does a sword hang over Mother India of today?' Mahendra asked.
'Because the British keep India in subjection by the sword. And she can be freed only by the sword. Those who talk of winning India's independence by peaceful means do not know the British, I am sure. ”

“ Mahendra's wild gaze turned for a moment towards his mother, and then it fastened back on Binodini as he repeated, "I am leaving my all, I ask you for the last time, will you come with me?"
Binodini glanced once towards the infuriated Rajlakshmi, and then calmly stepping upto Mahendra she took him by the hand and said, "I will!"
"Then wait just a day more. I am off now. From to-morrow there'll be no one else in the world for me, but you." And Mahendra was gone. ”

“ Mahendra's peer in mightiness,
Firm as the mountain's rooted steep,
Enduring as the Ocean's deep.
Despise not Das'aratha, he
Is a kind lord and friend to thee.
A loving wife in worth outruns
The mother of ten million sons. ”

“ Suddenly she was afraid and drew Mahendra to herself in a close embrace. Mahendra could feel the tremor in her, and said: "Fear not, Chuni, our good Kaki's blessing is on you, you need have no fear. She left home and everything she had in this world for your sake; no harm can come to you!"
Bsha braced herself up and took courage, accepting her husband's benediction as a talisman; and repeatedly taking in imagination the dust of her aunt's feet she prayed: "O mother, may your blessing keep my husband from all harm."
The next morning Mahendra left without saying good-bye to Binodini. ”

“ Mahendra and Kalyani sat quietly for a long time.
'What are you thinking of?' Kalyani broke this silence.
'I am wondering what I should do,' Mahendra said. A dream is but an illusion. It rises and disappears only in the human mind. It has no reality, it is only a bubble of imagination. Let us go home.'
'Please go where duty calls you.' And Kalyani transferred the child to the lap of her husband. ”

“ When they were about to start, Mahendra said: "The road is hard and robbers are prowling about everywhere, we should not go without arms." So saying he went back into the house and returned with a gun and some powder and shot.
Seeing this, Kalyani said, "Since you remind me of arms, will you just hold Sukumari awhile and let me too fetch mine?" So saying she gave the child to Mahendra and entered the house, Mahendra observing, "What arms are you going to have?" ”

“ They were descending and attacking the English soldiers from behind.
'Children,' shouted Mahendra, 'look! There flies the flag of Mahatma Satya on the top of the hill! The Mahatma himself is on the battlefield today. Look, countless numbers of our soldiers are on the crest of the hill. Now, let us crush the enemy to atoms from both sides. Look, our comrades have captured the top of the hill, Children, look!'
Mahendra's army now mustered courage. His soldiers sang Bande Mataram. They began to climb the hill with energy. The English soldiers became panic-stricken. ”

“ He rushed towards Mahendra, shook him by the shoulders, called him thief, struck him and snatched the rifle away from him. Mahendra, furious with anger, returned a mighty blow. The sepoy reeled under Mahendras blow and fell unconscious on the road. Three others then grabbed Mahendra, and dragged him forcibly to the English captain, alleging that he had killed a soldier with one blow. The English captain was smoking his pipe, and under the influence of liquor. He said stupidly: 'Catch that villain and marry him.'
The sepoys could not understand. How could they marry a male armed robber! ”

“ To Brahmá's worlds which ne'er decay.586
Ráma and Lakshmaṇ nearer drew
The mighty fallen foe to view,
Mahendra's son, the brave and bold,
The monarch with his chain of gold,
With lustrous face and tawny eyes,
Broad chest, and arms of wondrous size,
Like Lord Mahendra fierce in fight,
Or Vishṇu's never-conquered might,
Now fallen like Yayáti587 sent
From heaven, his store of merit spent,
Like the bright flame that pales and dies,
Like the great sun who fires the skies,
Doomed in the general doom to fall
When time shall end and ruin all. ”

“ He had never seen Mahendra's wife and child, but he had seen Mahendra with the Mahatma. Consequently he reasoned: 'The woman may be Mahendra's wife, and the girl his daughter. Whoever they may be, the mother is dead and the daughter still alive. The first thing to do is to save the life of the child, otherwise she will be eaten up by the tigers and the bears of the jungle. Bhavan is somewhere around. He will attend to the cremation of this woman.' He picked up the child and walked away.
With the child in his arms, Jiban entered the thick forest. ”

“ The impossible becomes possible, the unbearable gets to be borne, else that night could never have been gone through in Mahendra's household. Mahendra after leaving Binodini, had written a letter that same night. ”

“ Faithfully with all your body, mind and soul, you must now serve Mother India. Fight for India's freedom with all the forces at your command. This is your path of duty — your dharma. Solely through this path salvation awaits you. And in fullness of time, and by virtue of your noble and unselfish deeds, we shall meet again in that kingdom of Light, and live there together till eternity.'
Sukumari, on the other hand, was safe for the moment. The small amount of poison she had swallowed was not fatal. Mahendra placed Sukumari on Kalyani's lap, and in a flood of tears embraced them both lovingly. ”

“ Mahendra replied that he had lost all taste for the pleasures of the world, and desired to live in solitude. Asoka consented, but pointed out that it was unnecessary for the prince to retire to the mountains, as a hermitage could be constructed at the capital. The king then caused the genii to build a stone house, as already related. ”

“ If life is lost, who will enjoy the riches? Let us now lock up our doors and be off. If life is spared us, we shall come back to enjoy them again."
Mahendra said, "I don't know if you will be able to go on foot as you will have to; for Palki bearers are dead, and, as for bullock-carts, if you have the driver you have not the cattle, and if cattle is found you don't find the driver." ”

“ Their forest was inaccessible to ordinary mortals. In the country around it was difficult to find fruit on the trees, for hungry people ate them at sight. But no one could find the fruits on the trees of this forest of the ashram of the Mother. Thus it was possible for the Mahatma's attendant to find fruits and milk for Mahendra's family. The only property the Children possessed consisted of a herd of cows. At Kalyani's request Mahendra ate a little. Kalyani fed the child with milk and she drank a little herself. ”

“ You are a wealthy zamindar. In consuming lavish dishes for breakfast, luncheon and dinner you are second to none. Yet when it comes to doing something useful, you are nothing better than a baboon.'
'You were engaged in sin,' Mahendra said contemptuously. ”

“ I was calling on the One who is the only source of all strength. Do not stand in the way of the inevitable. Rather, let us watch where they take us. God will arrange things properly on all sides.'
With no further attempt at escape Mahendra and the Mahatma followed the sepoys. As they were being taken along the street, Mahatma Satya said to the lieutenant, 'Gentleman, sir, I am very fond of singing devotional songs. ”

“ Mahendra answered each of these questions, but he noticed that in the course of the conversation Srî Râmakrishna's mind was fixed upon some other object, on which He was meditating. He was only half-conscious of the physical plane and His attitude resembled that of a man quietly seated rod in hand, intent on catching fish. When the float trembles and the fish bites, the man eagerly looks at the float, grasping the rod with all his strength. He does not talk to anyone, but his whole mind is fixed upon the float. ”

“ And Dhristadyumna moved in the van, protected by Bhima. The southern division (of the Pandava army) was protected. O king, by that mighty bowman, the handsome Yuyudhana, that foremost combatant of the Satwata race, resembling Indra himself. Yudhishthira was stationed on a car that was worthy of bearing Mahendra himself, adorned with an excellent standard, variegated with gold and gems, and furnished with golden traces (for the steeds) , in the midst of his elephant divisions.114 His pure white umbrella with ivory handle, raised over his head, looked exceedingly beautiful ”

“ Thou as strength in arms of men,
Thou as faith in hearts dost reign.
But the fierce roar of the British cannons drowned this great song of the Children. Hundreds of them began to fall, dead or wounded, on the hillside. The British steadily kept up the cannonading with volleys like thunder. Like sheaves of rice before the farmers at harvest time the Children fell, cut to pieces. Both Jiban and Mahendra tried their best to stem the tide of battle but in vain. The Children began to retreat like falling stones from a hilltop. ”

“ In single fight thy strength will try.'
↑ 'The author of the Raghuvams'a places the mountain Mahendra in the territory of the king of the Kalingans, whose palace commanded a view of the ocean. It is well known that the country along the coast to the south of the mouths of the Ganges was the seat of this people. Hence it may be suspected that this Mahendra is what Pliny calls "promontorium Calingon". ”

“ Even the monks of Ceylon, who met the later pilgrim at Kânchî, and told him the accepted legend of the conversion of their country, knew Mahendra as the younger brother, not the son of Asoka [42] . It is obvious that the true form of the tradition was more likely to survive at Pâtaliputra, the ancient capital, than anywhere else, and Fa-hien when there about a. ”

“ By accepting the gods, do thou enjoy spotless robes, and celestial garlands of variegated hues, and excellent ornaments. What woman would not choose as her lord Hutasana—the chief of the celestials, who comprassing the earth swalloweth it? What woman would not choose him as her lord the dread of whose mace induceth all creatures to tread the path of virtue? And what woman would not choose as her lord the virtuous and high-souled Mahendra, the lord of the celestials, the chastiser of Daityas and Danavas? ”

“ Mahendrapāla, in the ninth or tenth centuries A.D., immediately suggests the name of the son of Bhoja I, the great Pratihāra Emperor Mahendrapāladeva. A comparison with the Asni inscription of Mahīpāla confirmed me in the opinion that no other person than the great Pratihāra monarch was being referred to. The forms of P and J are very much similar to those used in Asni inscription and the Ghosrawan inscription of Devapāla. Moreover, the form of the name is identical with that used in the Asni inscription, where we find the name as Mahīndrapāla, and not Mahendrapāla as in other inscriptions. ”

“ I adopt him as my protégé, for in a previous birth he and his wife propitiated me, therefore he has been born on the earth to reap the fruit of his former austerities; and his former wife has been born again as Páṭalí the daughter of the king Mahendravarman, and she shall be his wife in this birth also. Having said this, that mighty god told those three virtuous women in a dream,—“This young son of yours shall be called Putraka; and every day when he awakes from sleep, a hundred thousand gold pieces shall be found under his pillow,5 and at last he shall become a king.” ”

“ Vidura replied,—‘Though persecuted by thy sons and robbed of his kingdom and wealth the mind of the wise king Yudhishthira the just hath not yet deviated from the path of virtue. King Yudhishthira is always kind, O Bharata, to thy children. Though deprived (of his kingdom and possessions) by foul means, filled with wrath as he is, he doth not open eyes. ‘I should not burn the people by looking at them with angry eyes,’—thinking so, the royal son of Pandu goeth covering his face. Listen to me as I tell thee, O bull of the Bharata race, why Bhima goeth so. ”

“ His children one day by mistake shook the wrong handi, when a large number of demons dropped down and caught hold of the Brahman's wife and children and were striking them mercilessly, when happily the Brahman came into the house and turned up the handi. In order to prevent a similar catastrophe in future, the Brahman shut up the demon-handi in a private room to which his children had no access.
Pure and uninterrupted prosperity, however, is not the lot of mortals; and though the demon-handi was put aside, what security was there that an accident might not befall the mudki-handi? ”