SECTION 14
Vaishampayana said, "Commanded by Dhritarashtra, those bulls of Kurus
race, the Pandava brothers, accompanied by Keshava, then proceeded to see
Gandhari. The faultless Gandhari, afflicted with grief on account of the
death of her hundred sons, recollecting that king Yudhishthira the just
had slain all his enemies, wished to curse him. Understanding her evil
intentions towards the Pandavas, the son of Satyavati addressed himself
for counteracting them at the very outset. Having cleansed himself by the
sacred and fresh water of the Ganga, the great rishi, capable of
proceeding everywhere at will with the fleetness of the mind, came to
that spot. Capable of seeing the heart of every creature with his
spiritual vision and with his mind directed towards it, the sage made his
appearance there. Endued with great ascetic merit and ever intent on
saying what was for the benefit of creatures, the rishi, addressing his
daughter-in-law at the proper moment, said, Do not avail thyself of this
opportunity for denouncing a curse. On the other hand, utilize it for
showing thy forgiveness. Thou shouldst not be angry with the Pandavas, O
Gandhari! Set thy heart on peace. Restrain the words that are about to
fall from thy lips. Listen to my advice. Thy son, desirous of victory,
had besought thee every day for the eighteen days that battle lasted,
saying, "O mother, bless me who am fighting with my foes." Implored every
day in these words by thy son desirous of victory, the answer thou always
gavest him was, "Thither is victory where righteousness is!" I do not, O
Gandhari, remember that any words spoken by thee have become false. Those
words, therefore, that thou, implored by Duryodhana, saidst unto him,
could not be false. Thou art always employed in the good of all
creatures. Having without doubt reached the other shore in that dreadful
battle of Kshatriyas, the sons of Pandu have certainly won the victory
and a measure of righteousness that is much greater. Thou wert formerly
observant of the virtue of forgiveness. Why wouldst thou not observe it
now? Subdue unrighteousness, O thou that art conversant with
righteousness. There is victory where righteousness is. Remembering thy
own righteousness and the words spoken by thyself, restrain thy wrath, O
Gandhari! Do not act otherwise, O thou that art beautiful in speech.
Hearing these words, Gandhari said, O holy one, I do not cherish any ill
feelings towards the Pandavas, nor do I wish that they should perish. In
consequence, however, of grief for the death of my sons, my heart is very
much agitated. I know that I should protect the Pandavas with as much
care as Kunti herself protects them, and that Dhritarashtra also should
protect them as I should. Through the fault of Duryodhana and of Shakuni
the son of Subala, and through the action of Karna and Duhshasana,
extermination of the Kurus hath taken place. In this matter the slightest
blame cannot attach to Vibhatsu or to Prithas son Vrikodara, or to Nakula
or Sahadeva, or to Yudhishthira himself. While engaged in battle, the
Kauravas, swelling with arrogance and pride, have fallen along with many
others (that came to their aid). I am not grieved at this. But there has
been one act done by Bhima in the very presence of Vasudeva (that moves
my resentment). The high-souled Vrikodara, having challenged Duryodhana
to a dreadful encounter with mace, and having come to know that my son,
while careering in diverse kinds of motion in the battle, was superior to
him in skill, struck the latter below the navel. It is this that moves my
wrath. Why should heroes, for the sake of their lives, cast off
obligations of duty that have been determined by high-souled persons
conversant with every duty?"
