SECTION VI
"Drupada said, 'Of beings those that are endowed with life are superior.
Of living beings those that are endowed with intelligence are superior.
Of intelligent creatures men are superior. Of men the twice-born are
superior. Of the twice-born, students of the Veda are superior. Of
students of the Veda those of cultured understanding are superior. Of
cultured men practical persons are superior. And finally, of practical
men those knowing the Supreme Being are superior. You, it seems to me,
are at the very top of those that are of cultured understanding. You are
distinguished both for age and learning. You are equal in intellect to
either Sukra or Vrihaspati, the son of Angiras. You know what kind of man
the chief of the Kuru race is, and what kind of man also is Yudhishthira,
the son of Kunti. It was with Dhritarashtra's knowledge that the Pandavas
were-deceived by their opponents. Though instructed by Vidura he yet
follows his son! Sakuni advisedly challenged Yudhishthira to a gambling
match although the latter was unskilled in gambling while the former was
an adept in it. Unskilled in play, Yudhishthira was guileless and firm in
following the rules of the military order. Having thus cheated the
virtuous king Yudhishthira, they will, by no means, voluntarily yield up
the kingdom. If you speak words of righteousness unto Dhritarashtra, you
will certainly gain the hearts of his fighting men. Vidura also will make
use of those words of yours and will thus alienate the hearts of Bhishma,
and Drona, and Kripa, and others. When the officers of state are
alienated and fighting men are backward, the task of the enemy will be to
gain back their hearts. In the meantime, the Pandavas will, with ease and
with their whole hearts, address themselves in preparing the army and in
collecting stores. And when the enemy's adherents are estranged, and
while you are hanging about them, they will surely not be able to make
adequate preparations for war. This course seems expedient in this wise.
On your meeting with Dhritarashtra it is possible that Dhritarashtra may
do what you say. And as you are virtuous, you must therefore act
virtuously towards them. And to the compassionate, you must descant upon
the various hardships that the Pandavas have endured. And you must
estrange the hearts of the aged persons by discoursing upon the family
usages which were followed by their forefathers. I do not entertain the
slightest doubt in this matter. Nor need you be apprehensive of any
danger from them, for you are a Brahmana, versed in the Vedas; and you
are going thither as an ambassador, and more specially, you are an aged
man. Therefore, I ask you to set out without delay towards the Kauravas
with the object of promoting the interests of the Pandavas, timing your
departure under the (astrological) combination called Pushya and at that
part of the day called Jaya.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus instructed by the magnanimous Drupada, the
virtuous priest set out for Hastinapura (the city called after the
elephant). And that learned man, well-versed in the principles of the
science of politics, started with a following of disciples towards the
Kurus for the sake of promoting the welfare of Pandu's sons.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 6 ---------------------
