The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, VANA PARVA

(Aranyaka Parva)

SECTION VI

"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, after Vidura had gone to the abode of the

Pandavas, Dhritarashtra, O Bharata, of profound wisdom, repented of his

action. And thinking of the great intelligence of Vidura in matters

connected with both war and peace, and also of the aggrandisement of the

Pandavas in the future, Dhritarashtra, pained at the recollection of

Vidura, having approached the door of the hall of state fell down

senseless in the presence of the monarchs (in waiting) And regaining

consciousness, the king rose from the ground and thus addressed Sanjaya

standing by, 'My brother and friend is even like the god of justice

himself! Recollecting him today, my heart burneth in grief! Go, bring

unto me without delay my brother well-versed in morality!' Saying this,

the monarch wept bitterly. And burning in repentance, and overwhelmed

with sorrow at the recollection of Vidura, the king, from brotherly

affection, again addressed Sanjaya saying, 'O Sanjaya, go thou and

ascertain whether my brother, expelled by my wretched self through anger,

liveth still! That wise brother of mine of immeasurable intelligence hath

never been guilty of even the slightest transgression, but, on the other

hand, he it is who hath come by grievous wrong at my hands! Seek him, O

wise one, and bring him hither; else, O Sanjaya, I will lay down my life!"

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the king, Sanjaya

expressed his approbation, and saying 'So be it,' went in the direction

of the Kamyaka woods. And arriving without loss of time at the forest

where the sons of Pandu dwelt, he beheld Yudhishthira clad in deer-skin,

seated with Vidura, in the midst of Brahmanas by thousands and guarded by

his brothers, even like Purandara in the midst of the celestials! And

approaching Yudhishthira, Sanjaya worshipped him duly and was received

with due respect by Bhima and Arjuna and the twins. And Yudhishthira made

the usual enquiries about his welfare and when he had been seated at his

ease, he disclosed the reason of his visit, in these words, 'King

Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, hath, O Kshatta! remembered thee!

Returning unto him without loss of time, do thou revive the king! And, O

thou best of men, with the permission of these Kuru princes--these

foremost of men--it behoveth thee, at the command of that lion among

kings, to return unto him!

Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sanjaya, the intelligent

Vidura, ever attached to his relatives, with the permission of

Yudhishthira returned to the city named after the elephant. And after he

had approached the king, Dhritarashtra of great energy, the son of

Amvika, addressed him, saying, 'From my good luck alone, O Vidura, thou,

O sinless one, of conversant with morality, hast come here remembering

me! And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, in thy absence I was beholding

myself, sleepless through the day and the night, as one that hath been

lost on earth!' And the king then took Vidura on his lap and smelt his

head, and said, 'Forgive me, O sinless one, the words in which thou wert

addressed by me!' And Vidura said, 'O king, I have forgiven thee. Thou

art my superior, worthy of the highest reverence! Here am I, having come

back, eagerly wishing to behold thee! All virtuous men, O tiger among

men, are (instinctively) partial towards those that are distressed! This,

O king, is scarcely the result of deliberation! (My partiality to the

Pandavas proceedeth from this cause)! O Bharata, thy sons are as dear to

me as the sons of Pandu, but as the latter are now in distress, my heart

yearneth after them!

"Vaisampayana continued, 'And addressing each other thus in apologetic

speeches, the two illustrious brothers, Vidura and Dhritarashtra, felt

themselves greatly happy!'"

SECTION VII

"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing that Vidura had returned, and that the king

had consoled him, the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra began to burn in

grief. His understanding clouded by ignorance, he summoned the son of

Suvala, and Karna and Dussasana, and addressed them saying, 'The learned

Vidura, the minister of the wise Dhritarashtra, hath returned! The friend

of the sons of Pandu, he is ever engaged in doing what is beneficial to

them. So long as this Vidura doth not succeed in inducing the king to

bring them back, do ye all think of what may benefit me! If ever I behold

the sons of Pritha return to the city, I shall again be emaciated by

renouncing food and drink, even though there be no obstacle in my path!

And I shall either take poison or hang myself, either enter the pyre or

kill myself with my own weapons. But I shall never be able to behold the

sons of Pandu in prosperity!

"Sakuni said, 'O king, O lord of the earth, what folly hath taken

possession of thee! The Pandavas have gone to the forest, having given a

particular pledge, so that what thou apprehendest can never take place! O

bull of the Bharata race, the Pandavas ever abide by the truth. They will

never, therefore, accept the words of thy father! If however, accepting

the commands of the king, they come back to the capital, violating their

vow, even this would be our conduct, viz., assuming, an aspect of

neutrality, and in apparent obedience to the will of the monarch, we will

closely watch the Pandavas, keeping our counsels!'

"Dussasana said, 'O uncle of great intelligence, it is even as thou

sayest! The words of wisdom thou utterest always recommend themselves to

me!'"Karna said, 'O Duryodhana, all of us seek to accomplish thy will

and, O king, I see that unanimity at present prevaileth among us! The

sons of Pandu, with passions under complete control, will never return

without passing away the promised period. If, however, they do return

from failing sense, do thou defeat them again at dice.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana with

cheerless heart, averted his face from his counsellors. Marking all this,

Karna expanding his beautiful eyes, and vehemently gesticulating in

anger, haughtily addressed Duryodhana and Dussasana and Suvala's son

saying, 'Ye princes, know ye my opinion! We are all servants of the king

(Duryodhana) waiting upon him with joined palms! We should, therefore, do

what is agreeable to him! But we are not always able to seek his welfare

with promptness and activity (owing to our dependence on Dhritarashtra)!

But let us now, encased in mail and armed with our weapons, mount our

cars and go in a body to slay the Pandavas now living in the forest!

After the Pandavas have been quieted and after they have gone on the

unknown journey, both ourselves and the sons of Dhritarashtra will find

peace! As long as they are in distress, as long as they are in sorrow, as

long as they are destitute of help, so long are we a match for them! This

is my mind!'

'Hearing those words of the charioteer's son, they repeatedly applauded

him, and at last exclaimed, 'Very well!' And saying this each of them

mounted his car, and sanguine of success, they rushed in a body to slay

the sons of Pandu. And knowing by his spiritual vision that they had gone

out, the master Krishna-Dwaipayana of pure soul came upon them, and

commanded them to desist. And sending them away, the holy one, worshipped

by all the worlds, quickly appeared before the king whose intelligence

served the purposes of eye-sight, and who was then seated (at his ease).

And the holy one addressed the monarch thus.'"

SECTION VIII

"Vyasa said, 'O wise Dhritarashtra, hear what I say! I will tell thee

that which is for the great good of all the Kauravas! O thou of mighty

arms, it hath not pleased me that the Pandavas have gone to the forest

dishonestly defeated (at dice) by Duryodhana and others! O Bharata, on

the expiration of the thirteenth year, recollecting all their woes, they

may shower death-dealing weapons, even like virulent poison, upon the

Kauravas! Why doth thy sinful son of wicked heart, ever inflamed with

ire, seek to slay the sons of Pandu for the sake of their kingdom? Let

the fool be restrained; let thy son remain quiet! In attempting to slay

the Pandavas in exile, he will only lose his own life. Thou art as honest

as the wise Vidura, or Bhishma, or ourselves, or Kripa, or Drona, O thou

of great wisdom, dissension with one's own kin are forbidden, sinful and

reprehensible! Therefore, O king, it behoveth thee to desist from such

acts! And, O Bharata, Duryodhana looketh with such jealousy towards the

Pandavas that great harm would be the consequence, if thou didst not

interfere. Or let this wicked son of thine, O monarch, along and

unaccompanied, himself go to the forest and live with the sons of Pandu.

For then, if the Pandavas, from association, feel an attachment for

Duryodhana, then, O king of men, good fortune may be thine. (This,

however, may not be)! For it hath been heard that one's congenital nature

leaveth him not till death. But what do Bhishma and Drona and Vidura

think? What also dost thou think? That which is beneficial should be done

while there is time, else thy purposes will be unrealised.'"

SECTION IX

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O holy one, I did not like this business of

gambling, but, O Muni, I think, I was made to consent to it drawn by

fate! Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Gandhari liked this

game at dice. No doubt, it was begot of folly. And, O thou who delightest

in the observance of vows, O illustrious one, knowing everything yet

influenced by paternal affection, I am unable to cast off my senseless

son, Duryodhana!'

"Vyasa said, 'O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what thou sayest is true!

We know it well that a son is the best of all things and that there is

nothing that is so good as a son. Instructed by the tears of Suravi,

Indra came to know that the son surpasseth in worth other valuable

possessions. O monarch, I will, in this connection, relate to thee that

excellent and best of stories, the conversation between Indra and Suravi.

In days of yore, Suravi, the mother of cows was once weeping in the

celestial regions. O child, Indra took compassion upon her, and asked

her, saying, 'O auspicious one! why dost thou weep? Is everything well

with the celestials? Hath any misfortune, ever so little, befallen the

world of men or serpents?' Suravi replied, 'No evil hath befallen thee

that I perceive. But I am aggrieved on account of my son, and it is

therefore, O Kausika, that I weep! See, O chief of the celestials, yonder

cruel husbandman is belabouring my weak son with the wooden stick, and

oppressing him with the (weight of the) plough, in consequence of which

my child agitated with agony is falling upon the ground and is at the

point of death. At sight of this, O lord of the celestials, I am filled

with compassion, and my mind is agitated! The one that is the stronger of

the pair is bearing his burthen of greater weight (with ease), but, O

Vasava, the other is lean, and weak and is a mass of veins and arteries!

He beareth his burthen with difficulty! And it is for him that I grieve.

See, O Vasava, sore inflicted with the whip, and harassed exceedingly, he

is unable to bear his burthen. And it is for him that, moved by grief, I

weep in heaviness of heart and these tears of compassion trickle down my

eyes!'

"Sakra said, 'O fair one, when thousands of thy son are (daily)

oppressed, why dost thou grieve for one under infliction?' Suravi

replied. 'Although I have a thousand offspring, yet my affections flow

equally towards all! But, O Sakra, I feel greater compassion for one that

is weak and innocent!'

"Vyasa continued, 'Then Indra having heard these words of Suravi, was

much surprised, and O thou of the Kuru race, he became convinced that a

son is dearer than one's life! And the illustrious chastiser of Paka

thereupon suddenly poured there a thick shower and caused obstruction to

the husbandman's work. And as Suravi said, thy affections, O king,

equally flow towards all thy sons. Let them be greater towards those that

are weak! And as my son Pandu is to me, so art thou, O son, and so also

Vidura of profound wisdom! It is out of affection that I tell you all

this! O Bharata, thou art possessed of a hundred and one sons, but Pandu

hath only five. And they are in a bad plight and passing their days in

sorrow. How may they save their lives, how may they thrive such thoughts

regarding the distressed sons of Pritha continually agitate my soul! O

king of the earth, if thou desirest all the Kauravas to live, let thy son

Duryodhana make peace with the Pandavas!'"

SECTION X

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O Muni of profound wisdom, it is even as thou

sayest! I know it well as do all these kings! Indeed, what thou

considerest to be beneficial for the Kurus was pointed out to me, O Muni,

by Vidura and Bhishma and Drona. And, if I deserve thy favour, and if

thou hast kindness for the Kurus, do thou exhort my wicked son

Duryodhana!'

"Vyasa said, 'O king, after having seen the Pandava brothers, here cometh

the holy Rishi Maitreya, with the desire of seeing us. That mighty Rishi,

O king, will admonish thy son for the welfare of this race. And, O

Kauravya, what he adviseth must be followed undoubtingly, for if what he

recommendeth is not done, the sage will curse thy son in anger.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, Vyasa departed, and Maitreya made

his appearance. And the king with his son respectfully received that

way-worn chief of Munis, with offerings of the Arghya and other rites.

And king Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, in words of respect thus

addressed the sage, 'O holy one, hath journey from the Kuru-jangala been

a pleasant one? Are those heroes, the five Pandavas living happily? Do

those bulls of the Kuru race intend to stay out their time? Will the

brotherly affection of the Kauravas ever be impaired?'

"Maitreya said, 'Setting out on a pilgrimage to the different shrines, I

arrived at Kuru-jangala, and there I unexpectedly saw Yudhishthira the

just in the woods of Kamyaka. And, O exalted one, many Munis had come

there to behold the high-souled Yudhishthira, dwelling in an ascetic

asylum, clad in deer-skin and wearing matted locks. It was there, O king

of kings, that I heard of the grave error committed by thy sons and the

calamity and terrible danger arisen from dice that had overtaken them.

Therefore, it is that I have come to thee, for the good of the Kauravas,

since, O exalted one, my affection is great for thee and I am delighted

with thee! O king, it is not fit that thy sons should on any account

quarrel with one another, thyself and Bhishma living. Thou art, O king,

the stake at which bulls are tied (in treading cord), and thou art

competent to punish and reward! Why dost thou overlook then this great

evil that is about to overtake all? And, O descendant of the Kurus, for

those wrongs that have been perpetrated in thy court, which are even like

the acts of wretched outcasts, thou art not well-thought amongst the

ascetics!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then turning to the wrathful prince Duryodhana,

the illustrious Rishi Maitreya addressed him in these soft words, 'O

mighty-armed Duryodhana, O best of all eloquent men, O illustrious one,

give heed unto the words I utter for my good! O king, seek not to quarrel

with the Pandavas! And, O bull among men, compass thou thy own good as

also of the Pandavas, of the Kurus and of the world! All those tigers

among men are heroes of high prowess in war, gifted with the strength of

ten thousand elephants, with bodies hard as the thunderbolt, holding fast

by their promises, and proud of their manliness! they have slain the

enemies of the celestials--those Rakshasas capable of assuming any form

at will, such as were headed by Hidimva and Kirmira! When those

high-souled ones went from hence that Rakshasa of fierce soul obstructed

their nocturnal path even like an immoveable hill. And even as a tiger

slayeth a little deer, Bhima, that foremost of all endued with strength,

and ever delighted in fight, slew that monster. Consider also, O king,

how while out on his campaign of conquest, Bhima slew in battle that

mighty warrior, Jarasandha, possessing the strength of ten thousand

elephants. Related to Vasudeva and having the sons of king Drupada as

their brothers-in-law, who that is subject to decrepitude and death would

undertake to cope with them in battle? O bull of the Bharata race, let

there be peace between thee and Pandavas! Follow thou my counsels and

surrender not thyself to anger!

'O king, thus admonished by Maitreya, Duryodhana began to slap his thigh

resembling the trunk of the elephant, and smilingly began to scratch the

ground with his foot. And the wicked wretch spake not a word, but hung

down his head. And, O monarch, beholding Duryodhana thus offer him a

slight by scratching the earth silently, Maitreya became angry. And, as

if commissioned by fate, Maitreya, the best of Munis, overwhelmed by

wrath, set his mind upon cursing Duryodhana! And then, with eyes red in

anger, Maitreya, touching water, caused the evil-minded son of

Dhritarashtra, saying, 'Since, slighting me thou declinest to act

according to my words, thou shalt speedily reap the fruit of this thy

insolence! In the great war which shall spring out of the wrongs

perpetrated by thee, the mighty Bhima shall smash that thigh of thine

with a stroke of his mace!

'When the Muni had spoken so, king Dhritarashtra began to pacify the

sage, in order that what he had said might not happen. But Maitreya said,

'O king, if thy son concludeth peace with the Pandavas, this curse of

mine, O child, will not take effect, otherwise it must be as I have said!'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of ascertaining the might of Bhima, that

foremost of kings, the father of Duryodhana, then asked Maitreya, saying,

'How was Kirmira slain by Bhima?'

"Maitreya said, 'I shall not speak again unto thee, O king, for my words

are not regarded by thy son. After I have gone away, Vidura will relate

everything unto thee!' And saying this, Maitreya went away to the place

whence he had come. And Duryodhana also went out perturbed at the tidings

of Kirmira's death (at the hand of Bhima).'"