SECTION CXXVII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing in that assembly of the Kurus these words
that were disagreeable to him, Duryodhana replied unto the mighty-armed
Kesava of great fame, saying. 'It behoveth thee, O Kesava, to speak after
reflecting on all circumstances. Indeed, uttering such harsh words, thou,
without any reason, findest fault with me alone, addressed regardfully as
thou always are by the sons of Pritha, O slayer of Madhu. But dost thou
censure me, having surveyed the strength and weakness (of both sides)?
Indeed, thyself and Kshattri, the King, the Preceptor, and the Grandsire,
all reproach me alone and not any other monarch. I, however, do not find
the least fault in myself. Yet all of you, including the (old) king
himself, hate me. O repressor of foes, I do not, even after reflection,
behold any grave fault in me, or even O Kesava, any fault however minute.
In the game at dice, O slayer of Madhu, that was joyfully accepted by
them, the Pandavas were vanquished and their kingdom was won by Sakuni.
What blame can be mine as regards that? On the other hand, O slayer of
Madhu, the wealth that was won from the Pandavas then, was ordered by me,
to be returned unto them. It cannot, again, O foremost of victors, be any
fault of ours that the invincible Pandavas, were defeated once again at
dice and had to go to the Woods. Imputing what fault to us, do they
regard us as their enemies? And, O Krishna, though (really) weak, why do
the Pandavas yet so cheerfully seek a quarrel with us, as if they were
strong? What have we done to them? For what injury (done to them) do the
sons of Pandu, along with the Srinjayas, seek to slaughter the sons of
Dhritarashtra? We shall not in consequence of any fierce deed, or
(alarming) word (of theirs), bow down to them in fear, deprived of our
senses. We cannot bow down to Indra himself, let alone the sons of Pandu.
I do not, O Krishna, see the man, observant of Kshatriya virtues, who
can, O slayer of foes, venture to conquer us in battle. Let alone the
Pandavas, O slayer of Madhu, the very gods are not competent to vanquish
Bhishma, Kripa, Drona and Karna, in battle. If, O Madhava, we are, in the
observance of the practices of our order, cut off with weapons in battle,
when our end comes, even that will lead us to heaven. Even this, O
Janardana, is our highest duty as Kshatriyas, viz., that we should lay
ourselves down on the field of battle on a bed of arrows. If, without
bowing to our enemies, ours be the bed of arrows in battle, that, O
Madhava, will never grieve us. Who is there, born in a noble race and
conforming to Kshatriya practices, that would from fear bow to an enemy,
desirous only of saving his life? Those Kshatriyas that desire their own
good, accept regardfully this saying of Matanga, viz., that (as regards a
Kshatriya), one should always keep himself erect, and never bow down, for
exertion alone is manliness; one should rather break at the knots than
bend. A person like me should only bow down to the Brahmanas for the sake
of piety, without regarding anybody else. (As regards persons other than
Brahmanas), one should, as long as one lives, act according to Matanga's
saying. Even this is the duty of Kshatriyas; even this is ever my
opinion. That share in the kingdom which was formerly given them by my
father shall never again, O Kesava, be obtainable by them as long as I
live. As long, O Janardana, as king Dhritarashtra liveth, both ourselves
and they, sheathing our weapons, O Madhava, should live in dependence on
him. Given away formerly from ignorance or fear, when I was a child and
dependent on others, the kingdom, O Janardana, incapable of being given
away again, shall not, O delighter of Vrishni's race, be obtainable by
the Pandavas. At present, O Kesava of mighty arms, as long as I live,
even that much of our land which may be covered by the point of a sharp
needle shall not, O Madhava, be given by us unto the Pandavas.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 127 ---------------------
