SECTION LXXII
(Bhagwat Yana Parva)
"Janamejaya said, 'When good Sanjaya (leaving the Pandava camp) went back
to the Kurus, what did my grandsires, the sons of Pandu, then do? O
foremost of Brahmanas, I desire to hear all this. Tell me this,
therefore.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'After Sanjaya had gone, Yudhishthira the just,
addressed Krishna of the Dasarha race--that chief of all the Sattwatas,
saying, 'O you that are devoted to friends, the time hath come for
friends to show their friendship. I do not see any other persons besides
thee that can save us in this season of distress. Relying on thee, O
Madhava, we have fearlessly asked back our share from Duryodhana who is
filled with immeasurable pride and from his counsellors. O chastiser of
foes, you protectest the Vrishnis in all their calamities, do you now
protect the Pandavas also from a great danger, for they deserve thy
protection.'
"Divine Krishna said, 'Here am I O mighty-armed one. Tell me what thou
desirest to say, for I will, O Bharata, accomplish whatever you wilt
tell me.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Thou hast heard what the intention is of
Dhritarashtra and his own. All that Sanjaya, O Krishna, said unto me hath
certainly the assent of Dhritarashtra. Sanjaya is Dhritarashtra's soul,
and spoke out his mind. An envoy speaketh according to his instructions,
for if he speaketh otherwise he deserveth to be slain. Without looking
equally on all that are his, moved by avarice and a sinful heart,
Dhritarashtra seeketh to make peace with us without giving us back our
kingdom. Indeed, at Dhritarashtra's command we spent twelve years in the
woods and one additional year in concealment, well-believing, O lord,
that Dhritarashtra would abide firmly by that pledge of ours. That we did
not deviate from our promise is well-known to the Brahmanas who were with
us. The covetous king Dhritarashtra, is now unwilling to observe
Kshatriya virtues. Owing to affection for his son, he is listening to the
counsels of wicked men. Abiding by counsels of Suyodhana, the king, O
Janardana, actuated by avarice and seeking his own good, behaveth
untruthfully towards us. What can be more sorrowful, O Janardana, than
this, that I am unable to maintain my mother and my friends? Having the
Kasis, the Panchalas, the Chedis, and the Matsyas, for my allies and with
thee, O slayer of Madhu, for my protector, I prayed for only five
villages, etc., Avishthala, Vrikasthala, Makandi, Varanavata, with any
other, O Govinda, as the fifth;--Grant us, we said, five villages or
towns, O sire, where we five may dwell in union, for we do not desire the
destruction of the Bharatas.--The wicked-minded son of Dhritarashtra,
however, regarding the lordship of the world to be; in him, doth not
agree to even that. What can be more sorrowful than this? When a man born
and brought up in a respectable family, covereth the possessions of
others, that avarice of his destroyeth his intelligence; and intelligence
being destroyed, shame is lost; and loss of shame leadeth to diminution
of virtue; and loss of virtue bringeth on loss of prosperity, Destruction
of prosperity, in its turn, ruineth a person, for poverty is a person's
death. Kinsmen and friends and Brahmanas shun a poor man as birds avoid,
O Krishna, a tree that beareth neither Rower nor fruits. Even this, O
sire, is death to me that kinsmen shun me, as if I were a fallen one like
the breath of life quitting 'a dead body. Samvara said that no condition
of life could be more distressful than that in which one is always racked
by the anxiety caused by the thought--I have no meat for today, what will
become of me tomorrow?--It is said that wealth is the highest virtue, and
everything depends on wealth. They that have wealth are said to live,
whereas those that are without wealth are more dead than alive. They that
by violence rob a man of his wealth not only kill the robbed but destroy
also his virtue, profit and pleasure. Some men when overtaken by poverty
choose death; others remove from cities to hamlets others retire into the
wood; while others, again, become religious mendicants to destroy their
lives. Some for the sake of wealth are driven to madness; others for
wealth, live under Subjection to their foes; while many others, again,
for the sake of wealth, betake themselves to the servitude of others. A
man's poverty is even more distressful to him than death, for wealth is
the sole cause or virtue and pleasure. The natural death of a person is
not much regarded, for that is the eternal path of all creatures. Indeed,
none among created beings can transgress it. O Krishna, a man who is poor
from birth is not so much distressed as one, who, having once possessed
great prosperity and having been brought up in luxury, is deprived of
that prosperity. Having through his own fault fallen into distress, such
a person blameth the very gods with Indra and his own self. Indeed,
knowledge of even the entire scriptures faileth to mitigate his pains.
Sometimes he getteth angry with his servants, and sometimes he cherisheth
malice towards even his well-wishers. Subject to constant anger, he
loseth his very senses, and his senses being clouded, be practiseth evil
deeds. Through sinfulness such a person contributeth to a fusion of
castes. A fusion of castes leadeth to hell and is the foremost of all
sinful acts. If he is not awakened in time, he goeth, certainly, O
Krishna, to hell., and, indeed, wisdom is the only thing that can awaken
him, for if he obtaineth back the eye of wisdom, he is saved. When wisdom
is regained, such a man turneth his attention to scriptures; and
attention to scriptures aideth his virtue. Then shame becometh his best
ornament. He that hath shame hath an aversion against sin, and his
prosperity also increaseth; and he that hath prosperity truly becometh a
man. He that is ever devoted to virtue, and hath his mind under control,
and always acteth after deliberation, never inclineth towards
unrighteousness and never engageth in any act that is sinful. He that is
without shame and sense is neither man nor woman. He is incapable of
earning religious merit, and is like a Sudra. He that hath shame
gratifieth the gods, the Pitris, and even his own self, and by this he
obtaineth emancipation, which indeed, is the highest aim of all righteous
persons.'
'Thou hast, O slayer of Madhu, seen all this in me with your own eyes. It
is not unknown to thee, how, deprived of kingdom, we have lived these
years. We cannot lawfully abandon that prosperity (which had been ours).
Our first-efforts will be such that, O Madhava, both ourselves and the
Kauravas, united in peace, will quietly enjoy our prosperity. Otherwise,
we shall, after slaying the worst of the Kauravas, regain those
provinces, although success through bloodshed by destruction of even
despicable foes that are related to us so dearly is the worst of all
fierce deeds, O Krishna. We have numerous kinsmen, and numerous also are
the revered seniors that have taken this or that other side. The
slaughter of these would be highly sinful. What good, therefore, can
there be in battle? Alas, such sinful practices are the duties of the
Kshatriya order! Ourselves have taken our births in that wretched order!
Whether those practices be sinful or virtuous, any other than the
profession of arms would be censurable for us. A Sudra serveth; a Vaisya
liveth by trade; the Brahmana have choosen the wooden bowl (for begging),
while we are to live by slaughter! A Kshatriya, slayeth a Kshatriya;
fishes live on fish; a dog preyeth upon a dog! Behold, O you of the
Dasarha race, how each of these followeth his peculiar virtue. O Krishna,
Kali is ever present in battle-fields; lives are lost all around. It is
true, force regulated by policy is invoked; yet success and defeat are
independent of the will of the combatants. The lives also of creatures
are independent of their own wishes, and neither weal nor woe can be
one's when the time is not come for it, O best of the Yadu's race.
Sometimes one man killeth many, sometimes many and united together kill
one. A coward may slay a hero, and one unknown to fame may stay a hero of
celebrity. Both parties cannot win success, nor both be defeated. The
loss, however, on both sides may be equal. If one flieth away, loss of
both life and fame is his. Under all circumstances, however, war is a
sin. Who in striking another is not himself struck? As regard the person,
however, who is struck, victory and defeat, O Hrishikesa, are the same.
It is true that defeat is not much removed from death, but his loss also,
O Krishna, is not less who winneth victory. He himself may not be killed,
but his adversaries will kill at least some one that is dear to him, or
some others and thus the man, O sire, deprived of strength and not seeing
before him his sons and brothers, becometh indifferent, O Krishna, to
life itself. Those that are quiet, modest, virtuous, and compassionate,
are generally slain in battle, while they that are wicked escape. Even
after slaying one's foes, repentance, O Janardana, possesseth the heart.
He that surviveth among the foes giveth trouble, for the survivor,
collecting a force, seeketh to destroy the surviving victor. In hopes of
terminating the dispute, one often seeketh to exterminate the foe. Thus
victory createth animosity, and he that is defeated liveth in sorrow. He
that is peaceful, sleepeth in happiness, giving up all thoughts of
victory and defeat, whereas he that hath provoked hostility always
sleepeth in misery, with, indeed, an anxious heart, as if sleeping with a
snake in the same room. He that exterminates seldom winneth fame. On the
other hand, such a person reapeth eternal infamy in the estimation of
all. Hostilities, waged over so long, cease not; for if there is even one
alive in the enemy's family, narrators are never wanted to remind him of
the past. Enmity, O Kesava, is never neutralised by enmity; on the other
hand, it is fomented by enmity, like fire fed by clarified butter.
Therefore, there can be no peace without the annihilation of one party,
for flaws may always be detected of which advantage may be taken by one
side or other. They that are engaged in watching for flaws have this
vice. Confidence in one's own prowess troubleth the core of one's heart
like an incurable disease. Without either renouncing that at once, or
death, there can be no peace. It is true, O slayer of Madhu, that
exterminating the foe by the very roots, may lead to good result in the
shape of great prosperity, yet such an act is most cruel. The peace that
may be brought about by our renouncing the kingdom is hardly different
from death, which is implied by the loss of kingdom, in consequence of
the design of the enemy and the utter ruin of ourselves. We do not wish
to give u the kingdom, nor do we wish to see the extinction of our race.
Under these circumstances, therefore, the peace that is obtained through
eve humiliation is the best. When these that strive for peace by all
means without of course wishing for war, find conciliation fail, war
becomes in evitable, and then is the time for the display of prowess.
Indeed, when conciliation fails, frightful results follow. The learned
have noticed all this in a canine contest. First, there comes the wagging
of tails, then the bark, then the bark in reply, then the
circumambulation, then the showing of teeth, then repeated roars, and
then at last the fight. In such a contest, O Krishna., the dog that is
stronger, vanquishing his antagonist, taketh the latter's meat. The same
is exactly the case with men. There is no difference whatever. They that
are powerful should be indifferent to avoid disputes with the weak who
always bow down. The father, the king, and he that is venerable in year,
always deserve regard. Dhritarashtra, therefore, O Janardana, is worthy
of our respect and worship. But, O Madhava, Dhritarashtra's affection for
his son is great. Obedient to his son, he will reject our submission.
What dost thou, O Krishna, think best at this juncture? How may we, O
Madhava, preserve both our interest and virtue? Whom also, besides thee,
O slayer of Madhu, and foremost of men, shall we consult in this
difficult affair? What other friend have we, O Krishna, who like you is
so dear to us, who seeketh our welfare so, who is so conversant with the
course of all actions, and who is so well-acquainted with truth?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, Janardana replied unto
Yudhishthira the just, saying, 'I will go to the court of the Kurus for
the sake of both of You. If without sacrificing your interests I can
obtain peace, O king, an act of great religious merit will be mine,
productive of great fruits. I shall then also save from the meshes of
death the Kurus and the Srinjayas inflamed with wrath, the Pandavas and
the Dhritarashtras, and, in fact, this entire earth.'
"Yudhishthira said, It is not my wish, O Krishna, that you wilt go to
the Kurus, for Suyodhana will never act according to your words, even if
thou advisest him well. All the Kshatriyas of the world, obedient to
Duryodhana's command, are assembled there. I do not like that thou, O
Krishna, shouldst proceed into their midst, If any mischief be done to
thee, O Madhava, Jett alone happiness; nothing, not even divinity, nor
even the sovereignty over all the gods will delight us.'
"The holy one said, 'I know, O monarch, the sinfulness of Dhritarashtra's
son, but by going there we will escape the blame of all the kings of the
earth. Like other animals before the lion, all the kings of the earth
united together are not competent to stand still before me in battle when
I am enraged. If, after all, they do me any injury, then I will consume
all the Kurus. Even this is my intention. My going thither, O Partha,
will not be fruitless, for if our object be not fulfilled, we shall at
least escape all blame.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Do, O Krishna, as it pleaseth thee. Blessed be thou,
go then to the Kurus. I hope to behold you return successful and
prosperous. Going unto the Kurus, make thou, O Lord, such a peace that
all the sons of Bharata may live together with cheerful hearts and
contentedly. Thou are our brother and friend, dear to me as much as to
Vibhatsu. Such hath been our intimacy with you that we apprehend no
neglect of our interest from thee. Go thou, there for our good. Thou
knowest us, you knowest our antagonists, you knowest what our purposes
are, and you knowest also what to say. Thou wilt, O Krishna, say unto
Suyodhana such words as are for our benefit. Whether peace is to be
established by (apparent) sin or by any other means, O Kesava, speak such
words as may prove beneficial to us.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 72 ---------------------
