Mahabharata: Volume 4 (26 page)

‘Vasudeva said, “O Sanjaya! I desire that the Pandavas are not destroyed and that they are prosperous. I love them. O suta!
In the same way, I desire the prosperity of King Dhritarashtra and his many sons. O Sanjaya! It has always been my desire that there should be peace between them and I have told them this. I hear that this is also desired by the king.
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I think that this is also best for the Pandavas. O Sanjaya! Pandava
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has already exhibited a kind of peacefulness that is extremely difficult to attain. Though Dhritarashtra and his sons are avaricious, there need not be any quarrel between them. O Sanjaya! You know the nature of dharma better than I do or Yudhishthira does. O Sanjaya! Why are you then finding fault with Pandava, who is endeavouring to accomplish his own duty? As is known, his conduct towards his relative has always been virtuous, right from the beginning. On the present issue, there is a difference of opinion among the brahmanas. Some say that deeds bring success in the hereafter. Others discard deeds and say that success comes from learning. It is known to brahmanas that those who have food, but fail to eat it, will remain hungry. It is only knowledge which leads to deeds that bears fruit, not other kinds.
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Deeds can be seen to bear fruits. One who is thirsty is satisfied by drinking water.

‘“O Sanjaya! Therefore, the rites of deeds have been laid down and it is deeds that circulate. Thus, I think that there is nothing superior to deeds. It is weak and vain to speak otherwise. Elsewhere,
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the gods are radiant because of their deeds. It is because of deeds that the wind blows. Determining day and night through his deeds, the sun ceaselessly rises every day. Ceaselessly, the moon goes through fortnights and months, through nakshatras and conjunctions. The fire burns ceaselessly and through his deeds, kindles for the welfare of beings. Through her strength, the goddess earth ceaselessly bears
a heavy load. The rivers ceaselessly bear the waters that satisfy the wishes of all beings. The destroyer of Bala
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has a lot of energy and ceaselessly showers down, resounding in the sky and in heaven. He ceaselessly practises brahmacharya, desiring to be the foremost among the gods. Shakra gave up happiness and his mind’s desires. He became the foremost through his deeds. He steadfastly protects truth and dharma, with self-control, fortitude, equanimity and amiability. Cultivating all these, the foremost Maghavan obtained the kingdom of the gods. Brihaspati controlled his mind and restraining his soul in the proper fashion, followed brahmacharya. He gave up happiness and controlled his senses. He thus obtained praise and reverence from the gods.
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The nakshatras shine because of their deeds. So do the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Vishvas,
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King Yama, Vaishravana Kubera, the gandharvas, the yakshas and the shining apsaras. The sages shine there
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because they observe brahmacharya, study the Vedas and follow the rituals. You know this to be the dharma of all the worlds and for brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas. You know what learned ones know.

‘“O Sanjaya! Why are you then pleading for the Kouravas? Know that he is always devoted to the sacred texts and to
ashvamedha
and
rajasuya
.
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He is also united with bows and armour, with arm guards, chariots and weapons. If the Parthas knew of some other means of accomplishing the objective, without slaughtering the Kouravas, whereby dharma could be saved and the purity of deeds preserved, they would force Bhimasena to follow the conduct of an arya.
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But if they are engaged in deeds followed by their ancestors, and in the process, destiny makes them confront death, that death will be regarded as praiseworthy, because they will have accomplished their
own deeds, to the best of their capacities. I think that you know everything and I would like to hear your response to a question. Is it better for a king to wage war in accordance with dharma, or is it better for him not to wage war in accordance with dharma? O Sanjaya! You must first consider the division into the four varnas and the deeds that are decreed for each. After having determined the duty of the Pandavas, you can then praise or censure it, according to your inclination. A brahmana must study, sacrifice, give, visit the sacred
tirtha
s, teach, officiate for those who are fit to sacrifice and receive gifts that he knows he can accept. A king must protect his subjects, act in accordance with dharma, steadfastly give, perform sacrifices, study all the Vedas, take a wife and observe the sacred deeds of a householder. A vaishya must not study. He must steadfastly sustain agriculture, animal husbandry and trade, accumulate riches, do what is pleasant for brahmanas and kshatriyas and observe the conduct of dharma and the sacred deeds of a householder. The ancient dharma of shudras is known to be that he must serve and honour brahmanas. Both study and sacrifice are prohibited for him. He must ceaselessly ensure the welfare of all beings. The king must tirelessly protect all the varnas in the pursuit of their own dharma. He must not be addicted to desire and must be impartial across all beings. He must never be addicted to desire that is adharma. If there is someone with all the qualities of dharma, he must acknowledge his superiority. He must chastise inferior subjects. If he acts in this fashion, he is virtuous. If he violently seizes land that belongs to others, intoxicated because of his powers, he angers destiny and this leads to strife between kings, creating armour, weapons and bows. For the task of killing dasyus, Indra created armour, weapons and bows. Whether riches are stolen secretly in private, or whether they are stolen forcibly in public, the two crimes are equally reprehensible. O Sanjaya! How is the act of Dhritarashtra’s son different?

‘“Overcome by intolerance and because of his avarice, he thinks that whatever he desires is dharma. The share of the Pandavas was determined. Why should we be robbed of those by others? If we are killed in battle, that will be praiseworthy. Inheritance is better than
the conquest of another’s kingdom.
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O Sanjaya! In the midst of their kingdom,
⁶⁶
recount this ancient dharma to the Kouravas. Those who have been assembled by Dhritarashtra’s sons are stupid and evil and are under the control of death. Behold again the evil deed that the Kurus committed in the midst of their assembly hall. The illustrious Droupadi is the beloved wife of the Pandavas and she has virtuous conduct. With Bhishma at the forefront, the Kurus ignored it when she was seized by that lecher
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and was forced to weep. If the Kurus who were assembled there, young and old, had tried to prevent it then, Dhritarashtra would have performed an act I would have approved of. This would have been a good deed for his sons too. Disregarding all norms, Duhshasana dragged Krishna to the midst of the assembly hall, with her fathers-in-law persent. Brought there, she was in a pitiable state, but found no protector other than Kshatta.
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The kings in that assembly hall were such wretches that they were incapable of protesting. For the sake of dharma, Kshatta was the only one who spoke. Knowing dharma, he censured the one who possesses limited intelligence.
⁶⁹
You did not speak of dharma in that assembly hall. But you see it fit to instruct the Pandavas now. However, when she was brought into that assembly hall, Krishna did perform a pure deed that was extremely difficult. Like a boat in the midst of the ocean, she freed herself and the Pandavas from that difficult situation.
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When Krishna stood before her fathers-in-law in that assembly hall, the son of the suta
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spoke to her. ‘O Yajnaseni! You have no other recourse left. Go to Dhritarashtra’s house. They have been defeated and are no longer your husbands. O beautiful
one! Choose another man as your husband.’ This was as heart-rending as a stake. They were extremely terrible and pierced the heart. Karna’s words were like arrows that possessed great energy. They were embedded in Bibhatsu Phalguna’s heart. When they donned garments that were made of black antelope skin, Duhshasana also spoke these harsh words. ‘All of you are like sterile and destroyed sesamum seeds. You have been ruined and will go to heaven for a very long time.’ Shakuni, the deceitful king of Gandhara, spoke to the Parthas at the time of gambling with the dice. ‘Nakula has been won. What stake is left other than Krishna Yajnaseni?’
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O Sanjaya! You yourself know these reprehensible words that were spoken at the time of the gambling.

‘“I wish to go there myself, to settle matters before there is a disaster. If I can bring peace to the Kurus, without sacrificing the interests of the Pandavas, I will accomplish a great and auspicious task. I will free the Kurus from the noose of death. I will speak words that are full of wisdom. They will be based on dharma and will be in conformity with the principles of non-violence. When I go there, I hope the Kurus honour me and the sons of Dhritarashtra listen to my words. If it is otherwise, Phalguna will ride on his chariot and Bhima will arm himself for war. Know that because of their own evil deeds, the wretched sons of Dhritarashtra will be burnt down. When the Pandavas were vanquished,
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Dhritarashtra’s son spoke many terrible words. Wielding a club in his hand, the enraged Bhimasena will remind Duryodhana about these at the right moment. The angry Suyodhana is a giant tree. Karna is the trunk and Shakuni constitutes the branches. Duhshasana is the abundance of flowers and fruit. The foolish King Dhritarashtra is the root. Yudhishthira is a giant tree that is full of dharma. Arjuna is the trunk and Bhimasena constitutes the branches. The sons of Madri constitute the abundance of flowers and fruit. The brahman and brahmanas constitute the
root. King Dhritarashtra and his sons are the forest. O Sanjaya! The Pandavas are the tigers. Do not cut down the forest with its tigers. Do not banish the tigers from the forest. Without the forest, the tiger is killed. Without the tigers, the forest is cut down. Therefore, the tiger protects the forest and the forest sustains the tiger. O Sanjaya! Dhritarashtra’s sons are like the creepers of dharma, but the Pandavas are shala trees. A creeper cannot grow without resorting to a large tree. The Parthas are positioned to serve, but those scorchers of enemies are also positioned, ready to fight. Let Dhritarashtra, lord of men, decide on what he has to do. The great-souled Pandavas are the followers of dharma and are positioned for peace. But they are capable of fighting. O learned one! Relate this accurately.”’

‘Sanjaya said, “O god among gods among men! O Pandava! I will now take your leave and go. May you be fortunate. As a result of the distress in my mind, I hope I have not spoken words that should not be spoken and caused you distress. I am taking my leave of Janardana, Bhimasena, Arjuna, Madri’s sons, Satyaki and Chekitana. May you be happy and prosperous. O kings! Look at me with eyes that are full of equanimity.”

‘Yudhishthira replied, “O Sanjaya! With our permission, depart in peace. You have not said anything unpleasant. They know, and all of us know, that when you speak in the midst of an assembly hall, you are pure in your soul. O Sanjaya! You were sent as an appropriate messenger. You are extremely dear to us. You have spoken words full of welfare and you have exhibited good conduct. O suta! Your views have not been clouded by delusion. When we have spoken the truth, you have not been angered. You have not spoken harsh and piercing words. Nor have you spoken bitter and acerbic words. O suta! We know that your words are guided by dharma and artha and that they are full of meaning, not meant to hurt. For us, you are a
beloved messenger. Vidura is the only other one who could have come here. In earlier times, we have seen you frequently. You are our friend, like Dhananjaya himself. O Sanjaya! Having quickly departed from here, serve the brahmanas who are deserving of worship. They are pure and brave and are devoted to the Vedas.
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They have been born in noble lineages and have all the qualities of dharma. The brahmanas are devoted to studying and live on alms. There are ascetics who always live in the forest. Greet all the elders on my behalf. O raconteur! Ask about the welfare of each one.

‘“You must meet King Dhritarashtra’s priest, his preceptors and all his sacrificial priests.
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O son!
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You must greet each one, as he deserves. O suta! You must meet each one and ask about his welfare. Our beloved preceptor
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follows brahmacharya and the Vedas and never deviates from the right course of action. You must greet and honour Drona, as he deserves. He is the one who made the four techniques of weaponry known again.
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You must swiftly go to Ashvatthama and ask about his welfare. He has studied and follows the Vedas.
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He is the one who made the four techniques of weaponry known again. He is as swift as the son of a gandharva. You must then go to the abode of Sharadvat’s son.
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He is a maharatha and supreme among those who know about weapons. O Sanjaya! You must remember me repeatedly and touch Kripa’s feet with your hand. You must also grasp the feet of Bhishma, supreme among the Kurus, and mention me to him. Valour, non-violence, austerities, wisdom, good conduct, learning and fortitude reside in him. O Sanjaya! You must salute the aged king
⁸¹
and tell him that I am well. He governs
the Kurus with the sight of wisdom. He is extremely learned and the learned one tends to the aged.

‘“O Sanjaya! Dhritarashtra’s eldest son is evil, stupid, deceitful and prone to bad conduct. He now rules over the entire earth. O son!
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You must ask about Suyodhana’s welfare. O Sanjaya! His younger brother is equally evil. He has always been like him in conduct.
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He is a great archer and supreme among the Kuru warriors. O son!
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You must ask about Duhshasana’s welfare. O son!
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You must ask about the welfare of the son of the vaishya.
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He has never liked the idea of a war. He is immensely wise and has all the qualities of dharma. He is supreme among all wise ones and is never confused. O son!
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Ask about the welfare of Chitrasena.
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He is unmatched in cutting and playing with dice.
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He is extremely deceitful and is skilled in gambling and knows the heart of the dice. He is incapable of being defeated in duels with the dice. You must greet the learned bull of the Bahlika lineage, who has always had no other desire than that of there being peace among the Bharatas. He may happily greet me again, as he used to do earlier. It is my view that Somadatta must also be honoured. He is supreme among those who possess all the qualities. He is learned and is never cruel. Because of his affection, he has always endured all the injury.
⁹⁰
O Sanjaya! Somadatta’s son
⁹¹
is the most venerable among the Kurus. He is our
brother and friend. He is a great archer and supreme among charioteers. Ask him about his welfare and that of his advisers. There are other young ones who are chief among the Kurus. They are our sons, grandsons and brothers. If you meet them along the way, on my behalf, ask about their welfare. Dhritarashtra’s son has assembled kings to fight against the Pandavas. There are the foremost among the Vasatis, the Shalvakas, the Kekayas, the Ambashthas and the Trigartas. There are brave ones from the east, the north, the south, the west and all the mountainous regions. They are non-violent and are proper in conduct. O son!
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Ask all of them about their welfare. There are those who ride on elephants, horses and chariots, infantry and large masses of aryas. Tell all of them that I am in good health. Ask all of them if they are in good health. There are advisers who have been appointed by the king. There are gatekeepers and others who lead the army. There are those who calculate revenue and expenditure. There are great ones who think about his
⁹³
welfare. The king from the mountainous region of Gandhara, Shakuni, is unrivalled in cutting and playing with the dice. O suta! He heightens the honour of Dhritarashtra’s son. O son!
⁹⁴
He is false in his intelligence. But ask him about his welfare. O son!
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Ask about Vaikartana’s
⁹⁶
welfare. He is unmatched in deluding the deluded. The Pandavas are impossible to vanquish. But alone, on a single chariot, that brave one hopes to defeat them. Ask about the welfare of the infinitely intelligent and far-sighted Vidura. He is devoted to us. He is our senior and our servant. He is our father, our mother and our well-wisher. He is our adviser.