Section XCV

"Vaisampayana said, 'And after all the kings had been seated and perfect silence had ensued, Krishna possessing fine teeth and having a voice deep as that of the drum, began to speak. And Madhava although he addressed Dhritarashtra, spoke in a voice deep as the roll of clouds in the rainy season, making the whole assembly hear.

And he said,

'In order that, O Bharata, peace may be established between the Kurus and the Pandavas without a slaughter of the heroes, I have come hither. Besides this, O king, I have no other beneficial words to utter, O chastiser of foes, everything that should be learnt in this world is already known to you. This your race, O king, owing to its learning and behaviour, and owing also to its being adorned with every accomplishment, is most distinguished among all royal dynasties. Joy in the happiness of others, grief at sight of other people’s misery, desire to alleviate distress, abstention from injury, sincerity, forgiveness, and truth,—these, O Bharata, prevail amongst the Kurus. Then your race, therefore, O king, is so noble, it would be a pity if anything improper were done by any one belonging to it, and greater pity still if it were done by you. O chief of the Kurus, you are the first of those that should restrain the Kurus if they behave deceitfully towards strangers or those numbering with themselves.

Know, O you of Kuru’s race, that those wicked sons of thine, headed by Duryodhana, abandoning both virtue and profit, disregarding morality, and deprived of their senses by avarice, are now acting most unrighteously towards, O bull of men, their foremost of kinsmen. That terrible danger (which threatens all) has its origin in the conduct of the Kurus. If you becomest indifferent to it, it will then produce a universal slaughter. If, O Bharata, you are willing, you mayest be able to allay that danger even yet, for, O bull of Bharata’s race, peace, I think, is not difficult of acquisition. The establishment of peace, O king, depends on you and myself, O monarch. Set right your sons, O you of Kuru’s race, and I will set the Pandavas right. Whatever be your command, O king, it behoves your sons with their followers to obey it. If again they live in obedience to you, that would be the very best they could do. If you strivest for peace by restraining your sons, it will be to your profit, O king, as also to the benefit of the Pandavas.

Having reflected carefully, act you thyself, O king. Let those sons of Bharata (the Pandavas), be, O ruler of men, your allies. Supported by the Pandavas, O king, seek you both religion and profit. By every exertion in your power, you canst not have, O king, such allies as they who are such. Protected by the illustrious sons of Pandu, Indra himself at the head of the celestials will not be able to vanquish you. How would it be possible then for mere earthly kings to withstand your prowess? If with Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Vivingsati, and Asvatthaman, Vikarna, and Somadatta, and Vahlika and the chief of the Sindhus, and the ruler of the Kalingas, and Sudakshina, the king of the Kamvojas, there were Yudhishthira, and Bhimasena and Savyasachin, and the twins, and if Satyaki of mighty energy, and Yuyutsu, that mighty car warrior, are stationed, who is there, O bull of Bharata’s race, of such misdirected intelligence that would fight these? If, O slayer of foes, you have both the Kurus and the Pandavas at your back, the sovereignty of the whole world and invincibility before all foes will be thine.

All the rulers of the earth, O monarch, that are either equal to you or superior, will then seek alliance with you. Protected on all sides by sons, grandsons, fathers, brothers, and friends, you will then be able to live in exceeding happiness. Keeping these before you and treating them with kindness as in days of yore, you, O monarch, will enjoy the sovereignty of the whole earth. With these as your supporters and with the sons of Pandu also, you will, O Bharata, be able to conquer all your foes. Even this is your best advantage. If, O chastiser of foes, you are united with your sons and kinsmen and counsellors, you will enjoy sovereignty of the whole earth won for you by them.

In battle, O great king, nothing but wholesale destruction is visible. Indeed, in the destruction of both the parties, what merit dost you see? If the Pandavas are slaughtered in battle, or if your own mighty sons fall, tell me, O bull of Bharata’s race, what happiness will you enjoy? All of them are brave and skilled in weapons. All of them are desirous of battle, the Pandavas as also your sons. Oh, save them from the terrible danger that threatens them.

After the battle you will not behold all the Kurus or all the Pandavas, Car-warriors slain by car-warriors, you will behold the heroes of both parties reduced in numbers and strength. All the rulers of the earth, O best of kings, have been assembled together. Inflamed with wrath, they will certainly exterminate the population of the earth. Save, O king, the world. Let not the population of the earth be exterminated. O son of Kuru’s race, if you regainest your natural disposition, the earth may continue to be peopled as now. Save, O king, these monarchs, who are all of pure descent, endued with modesty and liberality and piety, and connected with on another in bonds of relationship or alliance, from the terrible danger that threatens them.

Abandoning wrath and enmity, O chastiser of foes, let these kings, embracing one another in peace, eating and drinking with one another, dressed in excellent robes and decked with garlands, and doing courtesies to one another, return to their respective homes. Let the affection you had for the Pandavas be revived in your bosom, and let it, O bull of Bharata’s race, lead to the establishment of peace. Deprived of their father while they were infants, they were brought up by you. Cherish them now as becomes you, O bull of Bharata’s race, as if they were your own sons. It is your duty to protect them. And especially it is so when they are distressed.

O bull of Bharata’s race, let not your virtue and profit be both lost. Saluting and propitiating you, the Pandavas have said unto you,

'At your command we have, with our followers, suffered great misery. For these twelve years have we lived in the woods, and for the thirteenth year have we lived incognito in an uninhabited part of the world. We broke not our pledge, firmly believing that our father also would abide by his. That we violated not our word is well-known to the Brahman as who were with us. And as we, O bull of the Bharata race, have abided by our promise, also do you abide by thine. Long have we suffered the greatest misery, but let us now have our share of the kingdom. Fully conversant as you are with virtue and profit, it behoves you to rescue us. Knowing that our obedience is due to you, we have quietly undergone much misery. Behave you then unto us like a father or brother.

A preceptor should behave as a preceptor towards his disciples, and as disciples we are willing to behave as such towards you, our preceptor. Act you, therefore, towards us as a preceptor should. If we go wrong, it is the duty of our father to set us right. Therefore, set us on the way and tread you also the excellent path of righteousness.'

Those sons of thine, O bull of the Bharata race, have also said unto these kings assembled in the court these words,

'If the members of an assembly are conversant with morality, nothing improper should be permitted by them to happen. Where, in the presence of the virtuous members of an assembly, righteousness is sought to be overpowered by unrighteousness, and truth by the untruth, it is those members themselves that are vanquished and slain. When righteousness, pierced by unrighteousness, seeks the protection of an assembly, if the arrow is not extracted, it is the members themselves that are pierced by that arrow. Indeed, in that case, righteousness slays the members of that assembly, like a river eating away the roots of the trees on its bank.'

Judge now, O bull of the Bharata race. The Pandavas, with their eyes turned towards righteousness and reflecting on everything, are maintaining a calm attitude, and what they have said is consistent with truth and virtue and justice. O ruler of men, what canst you say unto them, but that you are willing to give them back their kingdom? Let these rulers of earth that are sitting here say (what the answer should be)! If it appears to you that what I have said after reflecting well on virtue to be true, save all these Kshatriyas, O bull of the Bharata race, from the meshes of death. Effect peace, O chief of Bharata’s race, and yield not to anger. Giving unto the Pandavas their just share of the paternal kingdom, enjoy you then, with your sons, O chastiser of foes, happiness and luxury, your wishes being all crowned with success. Know that Yudhishthira always treads the path that is trod by the righteous.

You knowest also, O king, what the behaviour of Yudhishthira is towards you and your sons. Although you had sought to burn him to death and hadst exiled him from human habitation, yet he came back and once more repose confidence in you. Again, didst you with your sons, banish him to Indraprastha? While there, he brought all the kings of the earth to subjection and yet looked up to your face, O king, without seeking to disregard you. Although he behaved in this way, yet Suvala’s son, desirous of robbing him of his dominions and wealth and possessions, applied the very efficacious means of dice. Reduced to that condition and even beholding Krishna dragged into the assembly, Yudhishthira of immeasurable soul, did not yet swerve from the duties of a Kshatriya. As regards myself, I desire, O Bharata, your good as also theirs.

For the sake of virtue, of profit, of happiness, make peace, O king, and do not allow the Earth’s population to be slaughtered, regarding evil as good and good as evil. Restrain your sons, O monarch, who have from covetousness proceeded too far. As regards the sons of Pritha, they are equally ready to wait upon you in dutiful service or to fight. That which, O chastiser of foes, seems to you to be for your good, do you adopt!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'All the rulers of earth there present highly applauded these words of Kesava within their hearts, but none of them ventured to say anything in the presence of Duryodhana.'