SECTION LV
(Dyuta Parva Continued)
"Sakuni said,--O thou foremost of victorious
persons, I will snatch (for thee) this prosperity of Yudhishthira, the son of
Pandu, at the sight of which thou grievest so. Therefore, O king, let
Yudhishthira the son of Kunti be summoned. By throwing dice a skilful man,
himself uninjured, may vanquish one that hath no skill. Know, O Bharata, that
betting is my bow, the dice are my arrows, the marks on them my bow-string, and
the dice-board my car.
"Duryodhana said,--'This Sukuni skilled at
dice, is ready, O king, to snatch the prosperity of the son of Pandu by means
of dice. It behoveth thee to give him permission.
"Dhritarashtra said,--'I am obedient to the
counsels of my brother, the illustrious Vidura. Consulting with him, I shall
tell what should be done in this matter.
"Duryodhana said,--'Vidura is always engaged
in doing good to the sons of Pandu. O Kaurava, his feelings towards us are
otherwise. He will, therefore, without doubt, withdraw thy heart from the
proposed act. No man should set himself to any task depending upon the counsels
of another, for, O son of Kuru's race, the minds of two persons seldom agree in
any particular act. The fool that liveth shunning all causes of fear wasteth
himself like an insect in the rainy season. Neither sickness nor Yama waiteth
till one is in prosperity. So long, therefore, as there is life and health, one
should (without waiting for prosperity) accomplish his purpose.'
"Dhritarashtra said,--'O son, hostility with
those that are strong, is what never recommendeth itself to me. Hostility
bringeth about a change of feelings, and that itself is a weapon though not
made of steel. Thou regardest, O Prince, as a great blessing what will bring in
its train the terrible consequences of war. What is really fraught with mischief.
If once it beginneth, it will create sharp swords and pointed arrows.'
"Duryodhana replied,--'Men of the most
ancient times invented the use of dice. There is no destruction in it, nor is
there any striking with, weapons. Let the words of Sakuni, therefore, be
acceptable to thee, and let thy command be issued for the speedy construction
of the assembly house. The door of heaven, leading us to such happiness, will
be opened to us by gambling. Indeed, they that betake to gambling (with such
aid) deserve such good fortune. The Pandavas then will become thy equals
(instead of, as now, superiors); therefore, gamble thou with the Pandavas.
"Dhritarashtra said.--'The words uttered by
thee do not recommend themselves to me. Do what may be agreeable to thee, O
ruler of men. But thou shall have to repent for acting according to these
words; for, words that are fraught with such immorality can never bring
prosperity in the future. Even this was foreseen by the learned Vidura ever
treading the path of truth and wisdom. Even the great calamity, destructive of
the lives of the Kshatriyas, cometh as destined by fate.'"
Vaisampayana continued--"Having said this,
the weak-minded Dhritarashtra regarded fate as supreme and unavoidable. And the
king deprived of reason by Fate, and obedient to the counsels of his son,
commanded his men in loud voice, saying--'Carefully construct, without loss of
time, an assembly house of the most beautiful description, to be called the
crystal-arched palace with a thousand columns, decked with gold and lapis
lazuli, furnished with a hundred gates, and full two miles in length and in
breadth the same.' Hearing those words of his, thousands of artificers endued
with intelligence and skill soon erected the palace with the greatest alacrity,
and having erected it brought thither every kind of article. And soon after
they cheerfully represented unto the king that the palace had been finished,
and that it as delightful and handsome and furnished with every kind of gems
and covered with many-coloured carpets inlaid with gold. Then king
Dhritarashtra, possessed of learning, summoning Vidura the chief of his
ministers, said:--'Repairing, (to Khandavaprastha), bring prince Yudhishthira
here without loss of time. Let him come hither with his brothers, and behold
his handsome assembly house of mine, furnished with countless jewels and gems,
and costly beds and carpets, and let a friendly match at dice commence
here.'"
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