SECTION LXXVIII
“Arjuna said, ‘O Janardana, Yudhishthira hath already said what should be said. But, O chastiser of foes, hearing what thou hast said, it seemeth to me that thou, O lord, does not think peace to be easily obtainable either in consequence of Dhritarashtra’s covetousness or from our present weakness. Thou thinkest also that human prowess alone is fruitless, and also that without putting forth one’s prowess one’s purposes cannot be achieved. What thou hast said may be true, but at the same time it may not always be true.
Nothing, however, should be regarded as impracticable. It is true, peace seemeth to thee to be impossible in consequence of our distressful condition, yet they are still acting against us without reaping the fruits of their acts. Peace, therefore, if properly proposed, O lord, may be concluded. O Krishna, strive thou, therefore, to bring about peace with the foe. Thou, O hero, art the foremost of all friends of both the Pandavas and the Kurus, even as Prajapati is of both the gods and the Asuras. Accomplish thou, therefore, that which is for the good of both the Kurus and the Pandavas. The accomplishment of our good is not, I believe, difficult for thee. If thou strivest, O Janardana, such is this act that it will be soon effected.
As soon as thou goest thither, it will be accomplished. If, O hero, thou purposest to treat the evil-minded Duryodhana in any other way, that purpose of thine will be carried out exactly as thou wishest. Whether it be peace or war with the foe that thou wishest, any wish, O Krishna, that thon mayest entertain, will certainly be honoured by us. Doth not the evil-minded Duryodhana with his sons and kinsmen deserve destruction when, unable to bear the sight of Yudhishthira’s prosperity and finding no other faultless expedient, that wretch, O slayer of Madhu, deprived us of our kingdom by the sinful expedient of deceitful dice? What bowman is there, who, born in the Kshatriya order, and invited to combat, turneth away from the fight even if he is sure to die? Beholding ourselves vanquished by sinful means and banished to the woods, even then, thou of the Vrishni race, I thought that Suyodhana deserved death at my hands.
What thou, however, O Krishna, wishest to do for thy friends is scarcely strange, although it seems inexplicable how the object In view is capable of being effected by either mildness or its reverse. Or, if thou deemest their immediate destruction to be preferable, let it be effected soon without further deliberation. Surely, thou knowest how Draupadi was insulted in the midst of the assembly by Duryodhana of sinful soul and how also we bore it with patience. That Duryodhana, O Madhava, will behave with justice towards the Pandavas is what I cannot believe. Wise counsels will be lost on him like seed sown in a barren soil. Therefore, do without delay what thou, O thou of Vrishni race, thinkest to be proper and beneficial for the Pandavas, or what, indeed, should next be done.'”
SECTION LXXIX
“The holy one said, ‘It shall be, O thou of mighty arms, what thou, O Pandavas, sayest, I will strive to bring about that which would be beneficial to both the Pandavas and the Kurus. Between the two kinds of acts, war and peace, the latter, O Vibhatsu, is perhaps within my power. Behold, the soil is moistened and divested of weeds by human exertion. Without rain, however, O son of Kunti, is never yieldeth crops. Indeed, in the absence of rain some speak of artificial irrigation, as a means of success due to human exertion, but even then it may be seen that the water artificially let in is dried up in consequence of providential drought. Beholding all this, the wise men of old have said that human affairs are set agoing in consequence of the cooperation of both providential and human expedients. I will do all that can be done by human exertion at its best. But I shall, by no means, be able to control what is providential.
The wicked-souled Duryodhana acteth, defying both virtue and the world. Nor doth he feel any regret in consequence of his acting in that way. Moreover, his sinful inclinations are fed by his counsellors Sakuni and Karna and his brother Dussasana. Suyodhana will never make peace by giving up the kingdom, without, O Partha, undergoing at our hands a wholesale destruction with his kinsmen. King Yudhishthira the just doth not wish to give up the kingdom submissively. The wicked-minded Duryodhana also will not at our solicitation surrender the kingdom. I, therefore, think that it is scarcely proper to deliver Yudhishthira’s message to him. The sinful Duryodhana of Kuru’s race will not, O Bharata, accomplish the objects spoken of by Yudhishthira. If he refuses compliance, he will deserve death at the hands of all. Indeed, he deserves death at my hands, as also, O Bharata, of every one since in your childhood he always persecuted you all, and since that wicked and sinful wretch robbed you of your kingdom and could not bear the sight of Yudhishthira’s prosperity. Many a time, O Partha, he strove to withdraw me from thee, but I never reckoned those wicked attempts of his.
Thou knowest, O thou of mighty arms, what the cherished intentions of Duryodhana are, and thou knowest also that I seek the welfare of king Yudhishthira the just. Knowing, therefore, Duryodhana’s heart and what my most cherished wishes are, why then dost thou, O Arjuna, entertain such apprehensions in respect of myself like one unacquainted with everything? That grave act also which was ordained in heaven is known to thee, How then, O Partha, can peace be concluded with the foe? What, however, O Pandavas, is capable of being done by either speech or act, will all be done by me. Do not, however, O Partha, expect peace to be possible with the foe. About a year ago, on the occasion of attacking Virata’s kine, did not Bhishma, on their way back, solicit Duryodhana about this very peace so beneficial to all? Believe me, they have been defeated even then when their defeat was resolved by thee.
Indeed, Suyodhana doth not consent to part with the smallest portion of the kingdom for even the shortest period of time. As regards myself, I am ever obedient to the commands of Yudhishthira, and, therefore, the sinful acts of that wicked wretch must have again to be revolved in my mind!'”
SECTION LXXX
“Nakula said, ‘Much hath been said, O Madhava, by king Yudhishthira the just who is conversant with morality and endued with liberality, and thou hast heard what hath been said by Falguni also. As regards my own opinion, O hero, thou hast repeatedly expressed it, Hearing first what the wishes of the enemy are and disregarding all, do what thou regardest to be proper for the occasion. O Kesava, diverse are the conclusions arrived at as regards diverse matters. Success, however, O chastiser of foes, is won when a man doth that which ought to be done in view of the occasion. When a thing is settled in one way on one occasion, it becometh unsuitable when the occasion becometh different. Persons, therefore, in this world, O foremost of men, cannot stick to the same opinion throughout. While we were living in the woods, our hearts were inclined towards a particular course of action.
While we were passing the period of concealment, our wishes were of one kind, and now, at the present time, O Krishna, when concealment is no longer necessary, our wishes have become different. O thou of the Vrishni race, while we wandered in the woods, attachment for the kingdom was not so great as now. The period of our exile having ceased, hearing, O hero, that we have returned, an army numbering full seven Akshauhinis hath, through thy grace, O Janardana, been assembled. Beholding these tigers among men, of inconceivable might and prowess, standing equipped for battle armed with weapons, what man is there that will not be struck with fear? Therefore going into the midst of the Kurus, speak thou first words fraught with mildness and then those fraught with threats, so that the wicked Suyodhana may be agitated with fear. What mortal man is there, of flesh and blood, who would encounter in battle Yudhishthira and Bhimasena, the invincible Vibhatsu and Sahadeva, myself, thyself and Rama, O Kesava, and Satyaki of mighty energy.
Virata with his sons, Drupada with his allies, and Dhrishtadyumna, O Madhava, and the ruler of Kasi of great prowess and Dhrishtaketu the lord of the Chedis? No sooner wilt thou go there than thou wilt, without doubt, accomplish, O thou of mighty arms, the desired object of king Yudhishthira the just. Vidura, and Bhishma and Drona and Vahlika, these talents, O sinless one, will understand thee when thou wouldst utter words of wisdom. They will solicit that ruler of men, Dhritarashtra and Suyodhana of sinful disposition, with his counsellors, to act according to the advice. When thou, O Janardana, art the speaker and Vidura the listener, what subject is there that cannot be rendered smooth and plain?'”
