Prelude to Kirata Avatara

Nandishvara said

Wise one, hear of the Pinaka-wielder's avatara called Pinaka, in which he killed Muka and, delighted, gave Arjuna a boon. The Pandavas were defeated by Suyodhana, and with virtuous Droupadi went to the forest called Dvaitavana. There they relied on the plate given by Surya, and so the Pandavas spent their time happily. As a trick Suyodhana sent Durvasa, bull among sages. Lovingly, the foremost brahmana came to the Pandavas with ten thousand students and asked for the food he wanted for them. Since food was lacking, the Pandavas were miserable and resolved to give up their lives. Droupadi remembered Krishna and he came to protect them. He ate some vegetables and they were satisfied. Learning his disciples were satisfied, Durvasa went away. By Krishna's compassion the Pandavas were freed from their distress then. They asked Krishna what would happen now, since a powerful enemy had arisen, what should be done. Krishna remembered Shiva's lotus feet and answered: listen to the best course, and in particular hear of my service to Shiva. Wishing to defeat the enemies, I went to Dvaraka. I thought of the instructions of great-souled Upamanyu and worshipped Shambhu. Parameshvara was pleased. I served him well for seven months on Batuka, best of mountains, where Vishvesha himself is present, and he gave me all I wished. By his powers I gained every supreme capacity. You should serve that divinity too; he will give enjoyment and liberation as fruits. You should serve Shambhu, who gives every happiness. Saying this, Krishna comforted the Pandavas and vanished, remembering Shiva's lotus feet, and quickly went to Dvaraka.

The Pandavas then sent a bhilla to test Duryodhana's energy and qualities. He found out properly the growth in Duryodhana's qualities and reported it to his masters. Hearing him they were all miserable, and, very unhappy, the Pandavas said to each other: what should be done, where would they go, they could fight, but at present all of them were held back by the truth of the pledge they had taken. Then Vyasa came, with ash decorating his forehead, rudraksha for ornaments and matted hair, overcome with love for Shiva and doing japa of the panchakshara, blazing with his own radiance like a second Dharma. They were glad to see him, rose and stood before him, gave him an excellent seat of kusha grass spread on antelope skin, and, when Vyasa sat, happily worshipped him. They praised him in many ways and said they were blessed, that on seeing him they were content, and their great austerities and many gifts had been made successful by this. Grandfather, on seeing you our miseries have gone far away; the wicked, cruel in deeds, inflicted great sorrows on us, but on seeing your prosperous form those hardships have gone. Was there ever a time when they did not vanish thus? That should surely be thought about. If a person has taken refuge in a great person who has capably completed all tasks and his grief does not go, destiny alone must be the reason; poverty, the cause of grief, will certainly go too. The nature of a great person is like the wish-tree: when someone merely takes refuge in him, whatever he seeks he is reckoned to have got. The nature of the excellent is to protect the distressed without asking whether the refuge-seeker is superior or inferior. So the world's view is that the wretched should make supreme efforts to take refuge in him and serve him; that is beneficial and a sign of his fame; after that it depends on destiny and he cannot be blamed. That is why we are glad on seeing you, because auspiciousness will follow, and your mere coming has delighted us. Please instruct us so our miseries are quickly dispelled. Hearing the Pandavas, the great sage Vyasa was pleased and said they should not be miserable, they were blessed for having succeeded in holding to truth; there was no need to lament. Even at death the nature of virtuous people stays excellent; they do not abandon dharma and make their keeping of truth successful. So far as he was concerned, they and the Kouravas were equally descended from him, but it is the learned view that one should be partial to those who follow dharma. Dhritarashtra was wicked from the start, which is why he lacked sight; through his greed he himself abandoned dharma and your kingdom was taken. When your father died he certainly became your father, and great souls show compassion to children, yet he never restrained his son, and had he done so this calamity would not have arisen. Whatever happened after was bound to occur and could not have been otherwise. He is wicked and you are truthful and follow dharma, so at the end he will certainly face the inauspicious. The sprout that grows depends on the seed sown. So under no circumstances should you give way to grief; the auspicious will occur, and there is nothing to worry about. Vyasa spoke so to the Pandavas and cheered them.

With Yudhishthira in front they answered: protector, you have spoken truly, but the wicked cause us hardships ceaselessly, evil-souled, repeatedly. How can those be destroyed right now, and how can we gain something auspicious? Earlier Krishna told us to worship Shankara constantly; we have transgressed by being lax about that path. Instruct us how to resort again to that divinity's path. Hearing them, Vyasa was full of joy, remembered Shiva's lotus feet and said affectionately: Pandavas, with dharma in your understanding, hear me. Krishna spoke truly. I also serve Shiva. If you serve him gladly you will always gain unmatched happiness; all sorrows come from not serving Shiva. After reflecting on all five, Vyasa, supreme among sages, declared that Arjuna was the most worthy to worship Shiva. Then he thought of the best place for austerities and said to the Pandavas, who were established in dharma: listen, I will tell what will always be beneficial. Shiva should be seen as the supreme brahman above everyone, the goal of the virtuous. Brahma and every other visible object in the universe end at the end of a parardha. All this is Shiva's form, so one should worship and meditate on him. Shankara removes every misery and must always be served. If done with devotion Shiva is pleased within a short time, and when pleased Mahesha gives devotees everything: enjoyment in this world and liberation after. So those who want enjoyment and liberation always serve Shambhu. Shankara is Purusha himself, destroyer of the wicked and refuge of the good. But with a steady mind one must first control oneself and do japa using knowledge known to Shakra; this is recommended for a supreme kshatriya. So let Arjuna first steadily do japa using the knowledge known to Shakra. Before he is satisfied, he will first test him, and when he is satisfied he always removes all obstacles; afterwards he will give him Shiva's supreme mantra. Saying this he called Arjuna and taught him the knowledge needed for worshipping Indra. Sharp in intelligence, Arjuna bathed, sat facing east and received it. The supreme sage then gave him the rites proper to a king. Wide in intelligence, Vyasa said to Dhananjaya: Partha, go from here to the beautiful Indrakila and practise austerities properly near the Jahnavi; may the invisible knowledge always benefit you. Pronouncing blessings over him he told them all always to base themselves on dharma, which always yields the best success, and to have no worry. The lord among sages blessed the remaining Pandavas too, remembered Shiva's lotus feet and vanished from the spot.