Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Sahadeva included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of Sahadeva
The fifth among the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. Facts about Sahadeva are related under the headings, Dharmaputra, 叠丑墨尘补, Arjuna, Nakula and 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. Only those facts, which have not been so related are given hereunder.)
A brief biographical sketch.
Sahadeva was the son of 笔腻峁囜笉耻 by his wife 惭腻诲谤墨. Two sons, Nakula and Sahadeva were born to 惭腻诲谤墨 by the A艣vin墨devas. Along with 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补, 叠丑墨尘补 and Arjuna, sons of 碍耻苍迟墨, Nakula and Sahadeva spent their childhood in the company of Sages at 艢补迟补艣峁涐箙驳补 mountain. 笔腻峁囜笉耻 died and 惭腻诲谤墨 followed him in the funeral pyre. After that the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 lived at 贬补蝉迟颈苍腻辫耻谤补 under the care of 碍耻苍迟墨. When the 'lac-palace' was burnt down, they took themselves to the forest and ruled the kingdom with Indraprastha as capital. The 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉, who were defeated in the game of dice went again into the forest. Their going into the forest has been described as follows by Vidura.
驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补, covering his face with cloth and 叠丑墨尘补 stretching out his powerful hands moved into the forest. Arjuna followed them throwing up sand particles. Sahadeva went rubbing his face with earth, Nakula, the most handsome of men, followed them, his body smeared with dust. 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨, her face concealed in hair and weeping went behind the king. Sage Dhaumya with 碍耻艣补 grass in his hands, accompanied them chanting Vedic hymns. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 80).
顿丑峁泃补谤腻峁ａ弓谤补 asked Vidura why the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 assumed these different poses and attitudes and Vidura answered him thus: 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 covered his face to show that he would not retaliate in anger though he had lost the kingdom due to cheating. 叠丑墨尘补 stretched out his hands to show that he was unrivalled in manual power. Arjuna threw out sand to say that he would shoot his arrows into the enemy camp like particles of sand. Sahadeva rubbed earth on his face as he did not want anybody to distinguish his face. Nakula, the most handsome of men, smeared his face with dust so that, on the way, women should not desire him.
When the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 returned after twelve years' stay in exile in the forest and one year鈥檚 stay incognito Duryodhana refused to allot them even a single house, and war for eighteen days between the Kauravas and the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 was fought in the field of 碍耻谤耻办峁迟谤补. The Kauravas were wiped out. 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 became king and performed the Rajas奴ya测补箩帽补 after which the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 went out on the great journey and gave up their lives.
Other information about Sahadeva.
(1) He was dedicated to the service of elders. (膧di Parva, Chapter 1, Verse 114).
(2) He was exceptionally handsome. (膧di Parva, Chapter 67, Verse 111).
(3) In the fight that followed Arjuna鈥檚 endeavour to capture king Drupada to be presented as 骋耻谤耻诲补办峁峁嚹� (tuition fee to 顿谤辞峁嘺, who trained the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 in the use of arms) Nakula and Sahadeva protected the wheels of Arjuna鈥檚 chariot. (膧di Parva, Chapter 137, Verse 27).
(4) A son called 艢谤耻迟补蝉别苍补 (艢谤耻迟补办补谤尘补苍) was born to him of 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨. (膧di Parva, Chapter 220, Verse 80).
(5) He had also married the daughter of King 顿测耻迟颈尘腻苍 of Madra called 痴颈箩补测腻 and the couple had a son called Suhotra. (膧di Parva, Chapter 95, Verse 80).
(6) He defeated 痴颈谤腻峁璦, the Matsya king in battle. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 31, Verse 2).
(7) He conquered the southern kingdoms on the orders of 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 30).
(8) He defeated Dantavaktra in battle. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 31, Verse 59).
(9) He defeated 狈墨濒补, king of 惭腻丑颈峁补迟墨, in a fierce battle and collected taxes from him. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 31, Verse 59).
(10) He deputed 骋丑补峁璷迟办补肠补 to collect taxes from 痴颈产丑墨峁峁嘺, king of 尝补峁卥腻. 痴颈产丑墨峁峁嘺 sent 骋丑补峁璷迟办补肠补 back with a lot of gold and gems. 痴颈产丑墨峁峁嘺 also deputed 88,000 搁腻办峁蝉补蝉 to carry the gold etc. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Southern text, Chapter 31).
(11) He was 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补鈥檚 minister during the 搁腻箩补蝉奴测补 测补箩帽补. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 33, Verse 40).
(12) After the 测补箩帽补 was over, he conducted 顿谤辞峁嘺 and 础艣惫补迟迟丑腻尘腻 back to their palaces. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 48).
(13) He took the vow that he would kill 艢补办耻苍颈. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 77, Verse 9).
(14) In the battle that followed the abduction of 顿谤补耻辫补诲墨 by Jayadratha, the chariot of 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 went out of action and he, therefore, rode in the chariot of Sahadeva. (Vana Parva, Chapter 271, Verse 15).
(15) During his life-incognito he thought of assuming the name Tantrip膩la. (痴颈谤腻峁璦 Parva, Chapter 3, Verse 9).
(16) He went to king 痴颈谤腻峁璦 disguised as 痴补颈艣测补 called 础谤颈峁ａ弓补苍别尘颈 and got himself appointed as head of the king鈥檚 dairy. (痴颈谤腻峁璦 Parva, Chapter 10, Verse 5).
(17) He, in the guise of a dairy-man, used to give milk, butter-milk etc. to the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. (痴颈谤腻峁璦 Parva, Chapter 13, Verse 9).
(18) 厂补帽箩补测补 emphasized the fact that Sahadeva was a heroic warrior to 顿丑峁泃补谤腻峁ａ弓谤补. (Udyoga Parva, Chapter 50, Verse 31).
(19) When 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补, during the great war, divested himself of his armour and started towards the Kaurava army, Sahadeva questioned the action. (叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 43, Verse 19).
(20) On the first day of the battle he fought a duel with Durmukha. (叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 25).
(21) He defeated 痴颈办补谤峁嘺, 艢补濒测补 and others in the battle. (叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 71, Verse 83).
(22) He annihilated the cavalry of the Kauravas. (叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 89, Verse 32).
(23) He ran away from the battle-field. (叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 105, Verse 16).
(24) He fought a duel with 碍峁沺腻肠腻谤测补. (叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 110, Verse 12).
(25) He fought with 艢补办耻苍颈. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 14, Verse 22).
(26) He fought again with Durmukha. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 106, Verse 13).
(27) He killed Nirmitra, the Trigarta prince. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 107, Verse 25).
(28) In the fight with 碍补谤峁嘺 he got defeated. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 167, Verse 15).
(29) He defeated 顿耻艣艣腻蝉补苍补 in battle. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 188, Verse 2).
(30) When 厂腻迟测补办颈 was about to kill 顿丑峁涐梗峁璦诲测耻尘苍补, he pacified the former by a tactful speech. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 198, Verse 53).
(31) He defeated Pau峁囜笉rar膩ja. (碍补谤峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 22, Verse 14).
(32) He defeated 顿耻艣艣腻蝉补苍补 again. (碍补谤峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 23).
(33) He got wounded in the fighting with Duryodhana. (碍补谤峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 56, Verse 7).
(34) He defeated 鲍濒奴办补. (碍补谤峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 61, Verse 43).
(35) He killed 艢补濒测补鈥檚 son. (艢补濒测补 Parva, Chapter 11, Verse 43).
(36) He killed 鲍濒奴办补, son of 艢补办耻苍颈. (艢补濒测补 Parva, Chapter 28, Verse 32).
(37) He killed 艢补办耻苍颈. (艢补濒测补 Parva, Chapter 28, Verse 46).
(38) After the war, 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 allotted Durmukha鈥檚 palace to Sahadeva. (艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 44, Verse 12).
(39) In the matter of 诲丑补谤尘腻谤迟丑补办腻尘补蝉 (righteousness, material wealth and enjoyment of love life) he attached more importance to artha (material resources). (艢腻苍迟颈 Parva, Chapter 167, Verse 22).
(40) During the 搁腻箩补蝉奴测补 the duty of managing domesstic affairs was entrusted to him by 痴测腻蝉补 and 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补. (础艣惫补尘别诲丑补 Parva, Chapter 72, Verse 20).
(41) After the great war he visited and saluted 碍耻苍迟墨, who lived in the forest then. (膧艣ramav膩sika Parva, Chapter 24, Verse 8).
(42) In the great journey (Mah膩prasth膩na) he walked in front of 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 and behind Nakula. (Mah膩prasth膩nika Parva, Chapter 1, Verse 31).
(43) Synonyms used in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 for Sahadeva: 膧艣vineya, A艣vin墨suta, Bharata艣膩rd奴la, Bharatasattama, Kauravya, Kurunandana, 惭腻诲谤墨putra. 惭腻诲谤别测补, Nakul膩nuja, 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补, 笔腻峁囜笉耻nandana, Tantrip膩la, Yama, Yamaputra.