SECTION XXII
"Dhritarashtra said, 'They say, O Sanjaya, that the Pandavas have arrived
at Upaplavya. Go you and enquire after them. Thou must greet Ajatasatru
in the following words, 'By good luck it is that (emerged from the woods)
thou hast reached such a city. And to all of them you must say, O
Sanjaya, these words. Are the well, having spent that harassing period of
sojourn, the who were unworthy of such harassment?' In no time will they
be appeased towards us, for though treated treacherously (by foes), yet
they are righteous and good. In no case, O Sanjaya, have I ever met with
any untruthfulness on the part of the Pandavas. It was by their own
valour that they had won all their prosperity, and (yet) they were ever
dutiful to me. Though I scrutinized their conduct, I could never find
fault with them,--no, not even a single fault for which we might blame
them. They always act mindful of virtue and wealth; they never give way
to love of sensual enjoyments, or cold, or hunger, or thirst; they subdue
steep and laziness and wrath and joy and heedlessness. The sons of
Pritha, mindful of both virtue and wealth, are ever pleasant to all. On
proper occasions they part with their wealth to friends. Friendship with
them never loses its ardour on account of length of time; for they bestow
honours and wealth on every one according to his deserts. Not a soul in
the race of Ajamida ever entertains hatred for them excepting this vile,
capricious, dull-headed Duryodhana, and excepting also the still more
mean-minded Karna. These two always enhance the energy of those
high-souled ones who have been divested of both friends and happiness.
Enterprising and brought up in every indulgence, Duryodhana reckons all
that to be well-done. It is childish on Duryodhana's part to think that
it is possible to rob the Pandavas of their just share so long as they
are alive. It is wise to yield to Yudhishthira his due share before the
war,--to him whose steps are followed by Arjuna and Krishna and Bhima and
Satyaki and the two sons of Madri and the warriors of the Srinjaya race.
That wielder of the Gandiva, Savyasachin, seated on his car, would alone
be able to devastate the whole world. And likewise the victorious and
high-souled Krishna, the lord of the three worlds, incapable of defeat is
able to do the same. What mortal would stand before him who is the one
worthiest person in all the worlds and who discharges his multitude of
arrows that roar like the clouds, covering all sides, like flights of
swiftly-coursing locusts? Alone on his car, holding the Gandiva, he had
conquered the northern regions as also the Kurus of the north and brought
away with him all their wealth. He converted the people of the Dravida
land to be a portion of his own army. It was Falguna, the wielder of the
Gandiva, who defeating in the Khandava woods all the gods together with
Indra, made offerings to Agni, enhancing the honour and fame of the
Pandavas. Of all wielders again of the mace, there is none equal to
Bhima; and there is none also who is so skilful a rider of elephants. On
car, they say, he yields not to even Arjuna; and as to might of arms, he
is equal to ten thousand elephants. Well-trained and active, he who hath
again been rendered bitterly hostile, would in anger consume the
Dhartarashtras in no time. Always wrathful, and strong of arms, he is not
capable of being subdued in battle by even Indra himself. Of great heart,
and strong, and endued with great lightness of hand, the two (twin)
brothers, sons of Madri, carefully trained by Arjuna, would leave not a
foe alive, like to a pair of hawks preying upon large flocks of birds.
This our army, so full, to tell you the truth, will be nowhere when it
will encounter them. In their side will be Dhrishtadyumna, endued with
great activity,--one who is regarded as one of the Pandavas themselves.
The chief of the Somaka tribe, with his followers, is, I have heard, so
devoted to the cause of the Pandavas that he is ready to lay down his
very life for them. Who would be able to withstand Yudhishthira who hath
the best of the Vrishni tribe (Krishna) for his leader? I have heard that
Virata, the chief of the Matsyas, with whom the Pandavas had lived for
some time and whose wishes were fulfilled by them, old in years, is
devoted, along with his sons to the Pandava cause, and hath become an
adherent of Yudhishthira. Deposed from the throne of the Kekaya land, and
desirous of being reinstated thereon, the five mighty brothers from that
land, wielding mighty bows, are now following the sons of Pritha ready to
fight. All who are valiant among the lords of the earth have been brought
together and are devoted to the Pandava cause. I hear that they are bold,
worthy, and respectful,--they who have allied themselves to the virtuous
king Yudhishthira from feelings of attachment to him. And many warriors
dwelling on the hills and inaccessible fastnesses, and many that are high
in lineage and old in years, and many Mlechcha tribes also wielding
weapons of various kinds, have been assembled together and are devoted to
the cause of the Pandavas. And there hath come Pandya also, who, hardly
inferior to Indra on the field of battle, is followed when he fights by
numberless warriors of great courage. Remarkably heroic and endued with
prowess and energy that have no parallel, he is devoted to the Pandava
cause. That same Satyaki who, I have heard, obtained weapons from Drona
and Arjuna and Krishna and Kripa and Bhishma, and who is said to be equal
to the son of Krishna, is devotedly attached to the Pandava cause. And
the assembled kings of the Chedi and the Karusha tribes have all taken
the part of the Pandavas with all their resources. That one in their
midst, who, having been endued with blazing beauty, shone like the sun,
whom all persons deemed unassailable in battle and the very best of all
drawers of the bow on earth, was slain by Krishna in a trice, by help of
his own great might, and counting for naught the bold spirit of all the
Kshatriya kings. Kesava cast his eyes on that Sishupala and smote him,
enhancing the fame and honour of the sons of Pandu. It was the same
Sishupala who was highly honoured by those kings at whose head stood the
king of the Karusha tribe. Then the other kings, deeming Krishna
unassailable when seated on his car drawn by Sugriva and other steeds,
left the chief of the Chedis and ran away like small animals at the sight
of a lion. And it was thus that he, who, from audacity had sought to
oppose and encounter Krishna in a combat hand to hand, was slain by
Krishna and lay down lifeless, resembling a Karnikara tree uprooted by a
gale. O Sanjaya, O son of Gavalgana, what they have told me of the
activity of Krishna in cause of Pandu's sons, and what I remember of his
past achievements, leave me no peace of mind. No foe whatsoever is
capable of withstanding them, who are under the lead of that lion of the
Vrishni tribe. My heart is trembling with fear upon learning that the two
Krishnas, are seated on the selfsame car. If my dull-headed son forbear
to fight with those two, then may he fare well,--else those two will
consume the race of Kuru as Indra and Upendra consume the Daitya hosts.
Dhananjaya is, I conceive, equal to Indra, and the greatest of the
Vrishni race, Krishna, is the Eternal Vishnu himself. The son of Kunti
and Pandu, Yudhishthira, is virtuous and brave and eschews deeds that
bring on shame. Endued with great energy, he hath been wronged by
Duryodhana. If he were not high-minded, the would in wrath burn the
Dhritarashtras. I do not so much dread Arjuna or Bhima or Krishna or the
twin brothers as I dread the wrath of the king, O Suta, when his wrath is
excited. His austerities are great; he is devoted to Brahmacharya
practices. His heart's wishes will certainly be fulfilled. When I think
of his wrath, O Sanjaya, and consider how just it is, I am filled with
alarm. Go you speedily on a car, despatched by me, where the troops of
the king of the Panchalas are encamped. Thou wilt ask Yudhishthira about
his welfare. Thou wilt repeatedly address him in affectionate terms. Thou
wilt also meet Krishna, O child, who is the chief of all brave men and
who is endued with a magnanimous soul. Him also you wilt ask on my part
as to his welfare, and tell him that Dhritarashtra is desirous of peace
with Pandu's sons. O Suta, there is nothing that Yudhishthira, the son of
Kunti, would not do at the bidding of Krishna. Kesava is as dear to them
as their own selves. Possessed of great learning, he is ever devoted to
their cause. Thou wilt also enquire about the welfare of all the
assembled sons of Pandu and the Srinjayas and Satyaki and Virata and all
the five sons of Draupadi, professing to be a messenger from me. And
whatsoever also you mayst deem to be opportune, and beneficial for the
Bharata race, all that, O Sanjaya, you must say in the midst of those
kings,--everything, in sooth, that may not be unpalatable or provocative
of war.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 22 ---------------------
