SECTION CLXIII
"Sanjaya said, 'O monarch, provoking Arjuna still further who was like a
snake of virulent poison, by means of those wordy strokes of his Uluka
once more repeated the words he had once spoken. The Pandavas had before
such repetition, been sufficiently provoked, but hearing these words (a
second time) and receiving those censures through the gambler's son, they
were provoked beyond endurance. They all stood up, and began to stretch
their arms. And looking like enraged snakes of virulent poison, they
began to cast their eyes on one another. And Bhimasena, with face
downwards, and breathing heavily like a snake, began to glance obliquely
at Kesava, directing the blood-red corners of his eyes towards him. And
beholding the Wind-god's son to be greatly afflicted and extremely
provoked with rage, he of Dasarha's race smilingly addressed the
gambler's son and said, 'Depart hence without a moment's delay. O
gambler's son, and say unto Suyodhana these words, viz.,--Thy words have
been heard and sense understood. Let that take place which thou
desirest.' Having said this, O best of monarchs, the mighty-armed Kesava
looked once more at Yudhishthira endued with great wisdom. Then in the
midst and presence of all the Srinjayas, of Krishna possessed of great
fame, of Drupada with his sons, of Virata, and all the kings (there
assembled), Uluka once more repeated unto Arjuna the words he had said,
provoking him still further thereby, like one annoying wrathful snake of
virulent poison by means of a stake. And he also said unto all of them,
viz.,--Krishna and others, those words that Duryodhana had instructed him
to say. And hearing those harsh and highly disagreeable words uttered by
Uluka, Partha was greatly excited and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
And beholding Partha, O king, in that condition, that assembly of
monarchs could not bear it at all. And at that insult to Krishna and the
high-souled Partha, the car-warriors of the Pandavas were greatly
agitated. Though endued with great steadiness of mind, those tigers among
men began to burn with anger. And Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin and that
mighty car-warrior, Satyaki, and the five Kekaya brothers, and the
Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, the sons of Draupadi, and Abhimanyu, and king
Dhrishtaketu, and Bhimasena, endued with great prowess, and those mighty
car-warriors--the twins,--jumped up from their seats, their eyes red with
anger, tossing their handsome arms decked with red sandal-paste and
ornaments of gold. Then Vrikodara, the son of Kunti, understanding their
gestures and hearts, sprang up from his seat. And gnashing his teeth, and
licking with his tongue the corners of his mouth, and burning with rage,
and squeezing his hands and turning his eyes fiercely, said these words
unto Uluka, Ignorant fool, your words have now been heard which Duryodhana
said unto you for the object of provoking us as if we were a set of
imbeciles! Hear now the words which I say and which you are to repeat
unto the inaccessible Suyodhana in the midst of all the Kshatriyas and in
the hearing of the Suta's son and the wicked-hearted Sakuni. We always
seek to gratify our elder brother! It was for this, O you of wicked
behaviour, that we tolerated your acts. Dost you not regard this as
highly fortunate for thee? It was for only the good of our race that king
Yudhishthira the Just, endued with great intelligence, sent Hrishikesa to
the Kurus for bringing about a peace! Impelled by Fate, without doubt,
thou are desirous of repairing unto Yama's abode! Come, fight with us.
That, however, is certainly to take place tomorrow! I have, indeed, vowed
to slay you with your brothers! O sinful fool, do not entertain the
slightest doubt, for it will be as I have vowed! The very ocean, the
abode of Varuna-may all on a sudden transgress its continents. The very
mountains may split, yet my words can never be false! If Yama himself, or
Kuvera, or Rudra, assisteth thee, the Pandavas will still accomplish what
they have vowed! I shall certainly drink Dussasana's blood according to
my pleasure! And I also vow that Kshatriya whatsoever may then angrily
approach me, even if he cometh with Bhishma himself at the van, I will
send him to Yama's abode! That which I have said in the midst of a
Kshatriya assembly will certainly be true. I swear this by my soul!
'Hearing these words of Bhimasena, the wrathful Sahadeva also, with eyes
red in anger, said these words in the presence of the (assembled)
troops,--words that become that proud hero. And he said, 'Listen, O
sinful one, to the words I utter and which must be repeated to thy
father! A difference would never have arisen between us and the Kurus, if
Dhritarashtra had no relationship with thee! Of sinful acts and the
exterminator of your own race, you hast been born as an embodiment of
quarrel for the destruction of the whole world as also for the
destruction of Dhritarashtra's race! From our very birth, O Uluka, that
sinful father of yours hath always sought to do us injury and evil. I
desire to attain the opposite shore of that hostile relation. Slaying
thee first before the very eyes of Sakuni, I shall then slay Sakuni
himself in the sight of all bowmen!'
'Hearing these words of both Bhima and Sahadeva, Falguni smilingly
addressed Bhima, saying, 'O Bhimasena, they that have provoked
hostilities with thee, cannot live! Though they may dwell happily in
their homes, those fools become yet entangled in the meshes of death! O
best of men, Uluka doth not deserve to be addressed harshly by thee! What
fault do envoys commit, repeating as they only do what they are
instructed (to say)?' And having thus addressed Bhima of terrible prowess
that mighty-armed hero then addressed his heroic allies and well-wishers
headed by Dhrishtadyumna, saying, 'Ye have heard the words of the sinful
son of Dhritarashtra in dispraise of Vasudeva and especially of myself!
And hearing them the have been filled with anger because the wish us well!
But through Vasudeva's might and your endeavours, I do not reckon even
all the Kshatriyas of the earth assembled together! With your permission
I will now communicate to Uluka what the reply to those words is, what,
indeed, he should say unto Duryodhana!--When the morrow cometh, stationed
at the head of my division, the answer to these words shall I give
through Gandiva! For they that are eunuchs, answer in words!'
'Hearing this, all those best of kings applauded Dhananjaya, wondering at
the ingenuity of that reply. King Yudhishthira the Just, then, having
spoken mildly unto all the kings each according to his age and as each
deserved said, at last, unto Uluka these words so that he might carry
them to Duryodhana. And Yudhishthira said, 'No good king should patiently
bear an insult. Having so long heard what you had to say, I shall now
tell you what my reply is!'
'Having heard then, O best of Bharata's race, those words of Duryodhana,
Yudhishthira, that bull of the Bharata race, with eyes exceedingly red in
anger and himself sighing like a snake of virulent poison, licking the
corners of his mouth with his tongue, as if swelling with wrath, and
casting his eyes on Janardana and his own brothers, said unto Uluka these
words that were fraught with both mildness and vigour. And tossing his
massive arms he said unto the gambler's son, 'Go, O Uluka, and say unto
Duryodhana, that ungrateful, wicked-minded embodiment of hostilities,
that infamous wretch of his race, these words, viz.,--O sinful wretch,
thou always behavest with crookedness towards the Pandavas! O sinful
fool, he that displayeth his prowess relying on his own might and
summoneth his foes (to battle) and fulfilleth his own words, even he is a
man of the Kshatriya order! Be you a Kshatriya, O sinful wretch, and
summon us to battle! O infamous one of your race, do not come to battle,
placing at your head others for whom we profess respect! O Kaurava,
relying on your own might and on that of your servants, summon the sons of
Pritha to battle! Be Kshatriya in every way! He, who summoneth his foes,
relying on the might of others, and incapable of receiving them himself
is, indeed, a eunuch! Thou, however, thinkest highly of thyself, relying
on the might of others! Being weak and unable thyself, why then dost thou
roar so (in words) at us?'
"Krishna said, 'My words also, O gambler's son, should be communicated
unto Suyodhana. Let that morrow come to you on which the battle is to
take place. O you of wicked soul, be a man! O fool, you thinkest
Janardana will not fight, since he hath been chosen by the Pandavas to
act only as a charioteer, so you are not alarmed. That, however, will
not be, even for a moment. If my wrath is excited, I may then consume all
the kings (assembled by thee) like a fire consuming a heap of straw. At
Yudhishthira's command, however, I shall only discharge the functions of
charioteer to the high-souled Falguni, of senses under complete control
and who alone, (amongst us two) will fight! If you fliest beyond the
limits of the three worlds, if you sinkest into the depths of the earth,
thou shalt, even at these places, behold Arjuna's car tomorrow morning.
Thou thinkest that Bhima's words have been spoken in vain! But know that
Dussasana's blood hath already been quaffed. Know this also that although
thou hast uttered such cross and perverse words, yet neither Partha, nor
king Yudhishthira, nor Bhimasena, nor any of the twins, regardeth you as
straw!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 163 ---------------------
