Mahabharata 05 (eng)..

UDYOGA PARAVA
SECTION VI
SECTION VI
Drupada said, 'Of beings those that are endowed with life are superior. Of living beings those that
are endowed with intelligence are superior. Of intelligent creatures men are superior. Of men the
twice-born are superior. Of the twice-born, students of the Veda are superior. Of students of the
Veda those of cultured understanding are superior. Of cultured men practical persons are superior.
And finally, of practical men those knowing the Supreme Being are superior. You, it seems to me,
are at the very top of those that are of cultured understanding. You are distinguished both for age
and learning. You are equal in intellect to either Sukra or Vrihaspati, the son of Angiras. You know
what kind of man the chief of the Kuru race is, and what kind of man also is Yudhishthira, the son
of Kunti. It was with Dhritarashtra's knowledge that the Pandavas were-deceived by their opponents.
Though instructed by Vidura he yet follows his son! Sakuni advisedly challenged
Yudhishthira to a gambling match although the latter was unskilled in gambling while the former
was an adept in it. Unskilled in play, Yudhishthira was guileless and firm in following the rules of
the military order. Having thus cheated the virtuous king Yudhishthira, they will, by no means, voluntarily
yield up the kingdom. If you speak words of righteousness unto Dhritarashtra, you will certainly
gain the hearts of his fighting men. Vidura also will make use of those words of yours and
will thus alienate the hearts of Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and others. When the officers of
state are alienated and fighting men are backward, the task of the enemy will be to gain back their
hearts. In the meantime, the Pandavas will, with ease and with their whole hearts, address themselves
in preparing the army and in collecting stores. And when the enemy's adherents are estranged,
and while you are hanging about them, they will surely not be able to make adequate
preparations for war. This course seems expedient in this wise. On your meeting with Dhritarashtra
it is possible that Dhritarashtra may do what you say. And as you are virtuous, you must therefore
act virtuously towards them. And to the compassionate, you must descant upon the various hardships
that the Pandavas have endured. And you must estrange the hearts of the aged persons by discoursing
upon the family usages which were followed by their forefathers. I do not entertain the
slightest doubt in this matter. Nor need you be apprehensive of any danger from them, for you are a
Brahmana, versed in the Vedas; and you are going thither as an ambassador, and more specially,
you are an aged man. Therefore, I ask you to set out without delay towards the Kauravas with the
object of promoting the interests of the Pandavas, timing your departure under the (astrological)
combination called Pushya and at that part of the day called Jaya.'
Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus instructed by the magnanimous Drupada, the virtuous priest set out
for Hastinapura (the city called after the elephant). And that learned man, well-versed in the principles
of the science of politics, started with a following of disciples towards the Kurus for the sake of
promoting the welfare of Pandu's sons.'
SECTION VII
Vaisampayana said, 'Having despatched the priest to the city called after the elephant they sent
messengers to the kings of various countries. And having sent messengers to other places, the Kuru
hero Dhananjaya, that bull among men and son of Kunti, himself set out for Dwaraka. And after
Krishna and Valadeva, the descendants of Madhu, had both departed for Dwaraka with all the
Vrishnis, the Andhakas and the Bhojas, by hundreds, the royal son of Dhritarashtra had, by sending
secret emissaries, furnished himself with information of all the doings of the Pandavas. And learning
that Krishna was on his way, the prince went to the city of Dwaraka by means of fine horses
possessing the speed of the wind, and taking with him a small number of troops. And on that very
day the son of Kunti and Pandu, Dhananjaya, also speedily arrived at the beautiful city of the
Anarta land. And the two scions of the Kuru race, those tigers among men, on arriving there saw
that Krishna was asleep, and drew near him as he lay down. And as Krishna was sleeping, Duryodhana
entered the room, and sat down on a fine seat at the head of the bed. And after him entered that
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