SECTION LXXXVII
"Vidura said, 'O monarch, O best of men, you are respected by three
worlds. Thou, O Bharata, are loved and regarded by every body. Venerable
in year as you art, what you wilt say at this age cap never be against
the dictates of the scriptures or the conclusions of well-directed
reason, for your mind is ever calm. Thy subjects, O king, are well-assured
that, like characters on stone, light in the sun, and billows in the
ocean, virtue resideth in you permanently. O monarch, every one is
honoured and made happy in consequence of your numerous virtues. Strive,
therefore, with your friends and kinsmen to retain those virtues of thine.
Oh, adopt sincerity of behaviour. Do not from folly, cause a wholesale
destruction of your sons, grandsons, friends, kinsmen, and all that are
dear to thee. It is much, O king, that you wishes to give unto Kesava as
thy guest. Know, however, that Kesava deserves all this and much more,
aye, the whole earth itself. I truly swear by my own soul that you dost
not wish to give all this unto Krishna either from motives of virtue or
for the object of doing what is agreeable to him. O giver of great
wealth, all this betrays only deception, falsehood, and insincerity. By
the external acts, O king, I know your secret purpose. The five Pandavas,
O king, desire only five villages. Thou, however, dost not wish to give
them even that. Thou art, therefore, unwilling to make peace. Thou
seekest to make the mighty-armed hero of Vrishni's race your own by means
of your wealth; in foot, by this means, you seekest to separate Kesava
from the Pandavas. I tell thee, however, that you are unable, by wealth,
or attention, or worship, to separate Krishna from Dhananjaya. I know
magnanimity of Krishna; I know firm devotion of Arjuna towards him, I
know that Dhananjaya, who is Kesava's life, is incapable of being given
up by the latter. Save only a vessel of water, save only the washing of
his feet, save only the (usual) enquiries after the welfare (of those he
will see), Janardana will not accept any other hospitality or set his
eyes on any other thing. Offer him, however, O king, that hospitality
which is the most agreeable to that illustrious one deserving of every
respect, for there is no respect that may not be offered to Janardana.
Give unto Kesava, O king, that object in expectation of which, from
desire of benefiting both parties, he cometh to the Kurus. Kesava desires
peace to be established between you and Duryodhana on one side and the
Pandavas on the other. Follow his counsels, O, monarch. Thou are their
father, O king, and the Pandavas are your sons. Thou are old, and they are
children to you in years, behave as father towards them, that are
disposed to pay you filial regard."
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 87 ---------------------
