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
thee, 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 the all. A jackal is living in
thy house, O king, in the form of Duryodhana. Thou 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
seeketh, marketh not the consequences. Making enemies of these great
warriors, he beholdeth not the fall that is before him. It is known to
thee, 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 wilt have to repent afterwards, even like the
person that killed the birds. Like a flower-seller that plucketh (many
flowers) in the garden from trees that he cherisheth 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 reduceth 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?"
--------------------END OF PARVA 2 : UPA-PARVA 61 ---------------------
