Mahabharata 05 (eng)..

UDYOGA PARAVA
SECTION XXIV
causeth hostile hosts arrayed in battle to tremble in dread, like an elephant with rent temples agitating
a forest of reeds? Do they remember the mighty Sahadeva, the son of Madri, who in Dantakura
conquered the Kalingas, shooting arrows by both the left and right hand? Do they remember Nakula,
who, O Sanjaya, was sent, under your eye, to conquer the Sivis and the Trigartas, and who
brought the western region under my power? Do they remember the disgrace that was theirs when
under evil counsels they came to the woods of Dwaitavana on pretence of taking away their cattle?
Those wicked ones having been over-powered by their enemies were afterwards liberated by Bhimasena
and Arjuna, myself protecting the rear of Arjuna (in the fight that ensued) and Bhima protecting
the rear of the sons of Madri, and the wielder of the Gandiva coming out unharmed from the
press of battle having made a great slaughter of the hostile host, – do they remember that? It is not
by a single good deed, O Sanjaya, that happiness can here be attained, when by all our endeavours
we are unable to win over the son of Dhritarashtra!"
SECTION XXIV
Sanjaya said, 'It is even so as thou hast said, O son of Pandu! Dost thou enquire about the welfare of
the Kurus and of the foremost ones among them? Free from illness of every kind and in the possession
of excellent spirit are those foremost ones among the Kurus about whom, O son of Pritha, thou
enquirest. Know, O son of Pandu, that there are certainly righteous and aged men, as also men that
are sinful and wicked about Dhritarashtra's son. Dhritarashtra's son would make gifts even to his
enemies; it is not likely, therefore, that he should withdraw the donations made to the Brahmanas. It
is customary with you, Kshatriyas, to follow a rule fit for butchers, that leads you to do harm to
those that bear no ill-will to you; but the practice is not good. Dhritarashtra with his sons would be
guilty of the sin of intestine dissension, where he, like a bad man, to bear ill-will towards you who
are righteous. He does not approve of this injury (done to you); he is exceedingly sorry for it; he
grieves at his heart-the old man – O Yudhishthira, – for, having communicated with the Brahmanas,
he hath learnt that provoking intestine dissensions is the greatest of all sins. O king of men, they
remember thy prowess on the field, and that of Arjuna, who taketh the lead in the field of battle.
They remember Bhima wielding his mace when the sound of the conch-shell and the drum rises to
the highest pitch. They remember those mighty car-warriors, the two sons of Madri, who on the
field of battle career in all directions, shooting incessant showers of shafts on hostile hosts, and who
know not what it is to tremble in fight. I believe, O king, that which Futurity hath in store for a particular
person cannot be known, since thou, O son of Pandu, who art endowed with all the virtues,
hast had to suffer trouble of such unendurable kind. All this, no doubt, O Yudhishthira, thou wilt
again make up by help of your intelligence. The sons of Pandu, all equal to Indra would never
abandon virtue for the sake of pleasure. Thou, O Yudhishthira, wilt so make up thy intelligence that
they all, viz., the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu and the Srinjayas, and all the kings who have
been assembled here, will attain peace. O Yudhishthira, bear what thy sire Dhritarashtra having
consulted with his ministers and sons, hath spoken to me. Be attentive to the same.'"
SECTION XXV
Yudhishthira said, 'Here are met the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, and Krishna, and Yuyudhana and
Virata, O son of the Suta Gavalgana, tell us all that Dhritarashtra hath directed thee to say.'
Sanjaya said, 'I greet Yudhishthira, and Vrikodara and Dhananjaya, and the two sons of Madri, and
Vasudeva the descendant of Sura, and Satyaki, and the aged ruler of the Panchalas, and Dhrishtadyumna,
the son of Prishata. Let all listen to the words I say from a desire for the welfare of the
Kurus. King Dhritarashtra, eagerly welcoming the chance of peace, hastened the preparation of my
car for this journey here. Let it be acceptable to king Yudhishthira with his brothers and sons and
relations. Let the son of Pandu prefer peace. The sons of Pritha are endowed with every virtue with
steadiness and mildness and candour. Born in a high family, they are humane, liberal, and loath to
do any act which would bring on shame. They know what is proper to be done. A base deed is not
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