SECTION CCIV
(Viduragamana Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by Duryodhana, Karna said, 'It doth
not seem to me, O Duryodhana, that your reasoning is well-founded. O
perpetuator of the Kuru race, no method will succeed against the
Pandavas. O brave prince, you hast before, by various subtle means,
striven to carry out your wishes. But ever hast you failed to slay thy
foes. They were then living near thee, O king! They were then unfledged
and of tender years, but you couldst not injure them then. They are now
living at a distance, grown up, full-fledged. The sons of Kunti, O thou
of firm resolution, cannot now be injured by any subtle contrivances of
thine. This is my opinion. As they are aided by the very Fates, and as
they are desirous of regaining their ancestral kingdom, we can never
succeed in injuring them by any means in our power. It is impossible to
create disunion amongst them. They can never be disunited who have all
taken to a common wife. Nor can we succeed in estranging Krishna from the
Pandavas by any spies of ours. She chose them as her lords when they were
in adversity. Will she abandon them now that they are in prosperity?
Besides women always like to have many husbands, Krishna hath obtained
her wish. She can never be estranged from the Pandavas. The king of
Panchala is honest and virtuous; he is not avaricious. Even if we offer
him our whole kingdom he will not abandon the Pandavas. Drupada's son
also possesseth every accomplishment, and is attached to the Pandavas.
Therefore, I do not think that the Pandavas can now be injured by any
subtle means in your power. But, O bull amongst men, this is what is good
and advisable for us now, viz., to attack and smite them till they are
exterminated. Let this course recommend itself to thee. As long as our
party is strong and that of the king of the Panchalas is weak, so long
strike them without any scruple. O son of Gandhari, as long as their
innumerable vehicles and animals, friends, and friendly tribes are not
mustered together, continue, O king, to exhibit your prowess. As long as
the king of the Panchalas together with his sons gifted with great
prowess, setteth not his heart upon fighting with us, so long, O king,
exhibit your prowess. And, O king, exert your prowess before he of the
Vrishni race (Krishna) cometh with the Yadava host into the city of
Drupada, carrying everything before him, to restore the Pandavas to their
paternal kingdom. Wealth, every article of enjoyment, kingdom, there is
nothing that Krishna may not sacrifice for the sake of the Pandavas. The
illustrious Bharata had acquired the whole earth by his prowess alone.
Indra hath acquired sovereignty of the three worlds by prowess alone. O
king, prowess is always applauded by the Kshatriyas. O bull amongst
Kshatriyas, prowess is the cardinal virtue of the brave. Let us,
therefore, O monarch, with our large army consisting of four kinds of
forces, grind Drupada without loss of time, and bring hither the
Pandavas. Indeed, the Pandavas are incapable of being discomfited by any
policy of conciliation, of gift, of wealth and bribery, or of disunion.
Vanquish them, therefore, by your prowess. And vanquishing them by thy
prowess, rule you this wide earth. O monarch, I see not any other means
by which we may accomplish our end.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Radheya, Dhritarashtra,
endued with great strength, applauded him highly. The monarch then
addressed him and said, 'Thou, O son of a Suta, are gifted with great
wisdom and accomplished in arms. This speech, therefore, favouring the
exhibition of prowess suiteth you well. But let Bhishma, and Drona, and
Vidura, and you two, take counsel together and adopt that proposal which
may lead to our benefit.'
Vaisampayana continued, "'Then king Dhritarashtra called unto him, all
those celebrated ministers and took counsel with them.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 204 ---------------------
