The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, (Kirmirabadha Parva) SECTION LI

 

The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, (Kirmirabadha Parva)

SECTION LI

Vaisampayana said, "That bull among men--Dhritarashtra--the son of

Amvika, having heard of this wonderful way of life--so above that of

men--of the sons of Pandu, was filled with anxiety and grief. And

overwhelmed with melancholy and sighing heavily and hot, that monarch,

addressing his charioteer Sanjaya, said, 'O charioteer, a moment's peace

I have not, either during the day or the night, thinking of the terrible

misbehaviour of my sons arising out of their past gambling, and thinking

also of the heroism, the patience, the high intelligence, the unbearable

prowess, and the extraordinary love unto one another of the sons of

Pandu. Amongst the Pandavas, the illustrious Nakula and Sahadeva, of

celestial origin and equal unto the chief himself of the celestials in

splendour, are invincible in battle. They are firm in the wielding of

weapons, capable of shooting at a long distance, resolute in battle, of

remarkable lightness of hand, of wrath that is not easily quelled,

possessed of great steadiness, and endued with activity. Possessed of the

prowess of lions and unbearable as the Aswins themselves, when they will

come to the field of battle with Bhima and Arjuna in front, I see, O

Sanjaya, that my soldiers will all be slain without a remnant. Those

mighty warriors of celestial origin, unrivalled in battle by anybody,

filled with rage at the remembrance of that insult to Draupadi, will show

no forgiveness. The mighty warriors of the Vrishnis also, and the

Panchalas of great energy, and the sons of Pritha themselves, led by

Vasudeva of unbaffled prowess, will blast my legions. O charioteer, all

the warriors on my side assembled together, are not competent to bear the

impetus of the Vrishnis alone when commanded by Rama and Krishna. And

amongst them will move that great warrior Bhima of terrible prowess,

armed with his iron mace held on high and capable of slaying every hero.

And high above the din will be heard the twang of the Gandiva loud as the

thunder of heaven. The impetus of Bhima's mace and the loud twang of the

Gandiva are incapable of being stood against by any of the kings on my

side. It is then, O Sanjaya, that obedient as I have been to the voice of

Duryodhana, I shall have to call back the rejected counsels of my

friends--counsels that I should have attended to in time.'"

Sanjaya said, "This hath been thy great fault, O king, viz., that though

capable, thou didst not, from affection prevent thy son from doing what

he hath done. The slayer of Madhu, that hero of unfading glory, hearing

that the Pandavas had been defeated at dice, soon went to the woods of

Kamyaka and consoled them there. And Draupadi's sons also headed by

Dhrishtadyumna, and Virata, and Dhrishtaketu, and those mighty warriors,

the Kekayas, all went there. All that was said by these warriors at the

sight of Pandu's son defeated at dice, was learnt by me through our

spies. I have also told thee all, O king. When the slayer of Madhu met

the Pandavas, they requested him to become the charioteer of Phalguna in

battle. Hari himself, thus requested, answered them, saying, 'so be it.'

And even Krishna himself beholding the sons of Pritha dressed in deer

skins, became filled with rage, and addressing Yudhishthira, said, 'That

prosperity which the sons of Pritha had acquired at Indraprastha, and

which, unobtainable by other kings, was beheld by me at the Rajasuya

sacrifice, at which, besides, I saw all kings, even those of the Vangas

and Angas and Paundras and Odras and Cholas and Dravidas and Andhakas,

and the chiefs of many islands and countries on the sea-board as also of

frontier states, including the rulers of the Sinhalas, the barbarous

mlecchas, the natives of Lanka, and all the kings of the West by

hundreds, and all the chiefs of the sea-coast, and the kings of the

Pahlavas and the Daradas and the various tribes of the Kiratas and

Yavanas and Sakras and the Harahunas and Chinas and Tukharas and the

Sindhavas and the Jagudas and the Ramathas and the Mundas and the

inhabitants of the kingdom of women and the Tanganas and the Kekayas and

the Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira, afraid of the prowess of your

weapons, present in obedience to your invitation, performing various

offices,--that prosperity, O king, so unstable and waiting at present on

the foe, I shall restore to thee, depriving thy foe of his very life. I

shall, O chief of the Kurus, assisted by Rama and Bhima and Arjuna and

the twins and Akrura and Gada and Shamva and Pradyumna and Ahuka and the

heroic Dhrishtadyumna and the son of Sisupala, slay in battle in course

of a day Duryodhana and Karna and Dussasana and Suvala's son and all

others who may fight against us. And thou shalt, O Bharata, living at

Hastinapura along with thy brothers, and snatching from Dhritarashtra's

party the prosperity they are enjoying, rule this earth.' Even these, O

king, were Krishna's words unto Yudhishthira, who, on the conclusion of

Krishna's speech, addressed him in that meeting of heroes and in the

hearing of all those brave warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna, saying, 'O

Janardana, I accept these words of thine as truth. O thou of mighty arms,

do thou, however, slay my enemies along with all their followers on the

expiry of thirteen years. O Kesava, promise this truly unto me. I

promised in the presence of the king to live in the forest as I am now

living.' Consenting to these words of king Yudhishthira the just, his

counsellors headed by Dhrishtadyumna soon pacified the incensed Kesava

with sweet words and expressions suitable to the occasion. And they also

said unto Draupadi of pure deeds in the hearing of Vasudeva himself,

these words, 'O lady, in consequence of thy anger, Duryodhana shall lay

down his life. We promise it, O thou of the fairest complexion.

Therefore, grieve no more. O Krishna, those that mocked thee, beholding

thee won at dice, shall reap the fruit of their act. Beasts of prey and

birds shall eat their flesh, and mock them thus. Jackals and vultures

will drink their blood. And, O Krishna, thou shalt behold the bodies of

those wretches that dragged thee by the hair prostrate on the earth,

dragged and eaten by carnivorous animals. They also that gave thee pain

and disregarded thee shall lie on the earth destitute of their heads, and

the earth herself shall drink their blood.' These and other speeches of

various kinds were uttered there, O king, by those bulls of the Bharata

race. All of them are endued with energy and bravery, and marked with the

marks of battle. On the expiration of the thirteenth year, those mighty

warriors, chosen by Yudhishthira and headed by Vasudeva, will come (to

the field of battle). Rama and Krishna and Dhananjaya and Pradyumna and

Shamva and Yuyudhana and Bhima and the sons of Madri and the Kekaya

princes and the Panchala princes, accompanied by the king of Matsya,

these all, illustrious and celebrated and invincible heroes, with their

followers and troops, will come. Who is there that, desiring to live,

will encounter these in battle, resembling angry lions of erect manes?'

"Dhritarashtra said, "What Vidura told me at the time of the game at

dice, 'If thou seekest, O king, to vanquish the Pandavas (at dice), then

certainly a terrible blood-shed ending in the destruction of all the

Kurus will be the result,' I think it is about to be realised. As Vidura

told me of old, without doubt a terrible battle will take place, as soon

as the pledged period of the Pandavas expireth.'"