Section LXI

Vaisampayana said,—"During the course of this gambling, certain to bring about utter ruin (on Yudhishthira), Vidura, that dispeller of all doubts, (addressing Dhritarashtra) said,

'O great king, O you of the Bharata race, attend to what I say, although my words may not be agreeable to you, like medicine to one that is ill and about to breathe his last. When this Duryodhana of sinful mind had, immediately after his birth, cried discordantly like a jackal, it was well known that he had been ordained to bring about the destruction of the Bharata race.

Know, O king, that he will be the cause of death of you all. A jackal is living in your house, O king, in the form of Duryodhana. You knowest it not in consequence of your folly.

Listen now to the words of the Poet (Sukra) which I will quote. They that collect honey (in mountains), having received what they seek, do not notice that they are about to fall.

Ascending dangerous heights, abstracted in the pursuit of what they seek, they fall down and meet with destruction. This Duryodhana also, maddened with the play at dice, like the collector of honey, abstracted in what he seeks, marks not the consequences. Making enemies of these great warriors, he beholds not the fall that is before him.

It is known to you, O you of great wisdom, that amongst the Bhojas, they abandoned, for the good of the citizens a son that was unworthy of their race. The Andhakas, the Yadavas, and the Bhojas uniting together, abandoned Kansa.

And afterwards, when at the command of the whole tribe, the same Kansa had been slain by Krishna that slayer of foes, all the men of the tribe became exceedingly happy for a hundred years. So at your command, let Arjuna slay this Suyodhana. And in consequence of the slaying of this wretch, let the Kurus be glad and pass their days in happiness.

In exchange of a crow, O great king, buy these peacocks—the Pandavas; and in exchange of a jackal, buy these tigers. For the sake of a family a member may be sacrificed; for the sake of a village a family may be sacrificed, for the sake of a province a village may be sacrificed and for the sake of one’s own soul the whole earth may be sacrificed.

Even this was what the omniscient Kavya himself, acquainted with the thoughts of every creature, and a source of terror unto all foes, said unto the great Asuras to induce them to abandon Jambha at the moment of his birth. It is said that a certain king, having caused a number of wild birds that vomited gold to take up their quarters in his own house, afterwards killed them from temptation.

O slayer of foes, blinded by temptation and the desire of enjoyment, for the sake of gold, the king destroyed at the same time both his present and future gains.

Therefore, O king, prosecute not the Pandavas from desire of profit, even like the king in story. For then, blinded by folly you will have to repent afterwards, even like the person that killed the birds.

Like a flower-seller that plucks (many flowers) in the garden from trees that he cherishes with affection from day to day, continue, O Bharata, to pluck flowers day by day from the Pandavas.

Do not scorch them to their roots like a fire-producing breeze that reduces everything to black charcoal. Go not, O king, unto the region of Yama, with your sons and troops, for who is there that is capable of fighting with the sons of Pritha, together? Not to speak of others, is the chief of the celestials at the head of the celestials themselves, capable of doing so?"