Chapter 22

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘They say, O Sanjaya, that the Pandavas have arrivedat Upaplavya. Go thou and enquire after them. Thou must greet Ajatasatruin the following words, ‘By good luck it is that (emerged from the woods)thou hast reached such a city. And to all of them thou must say, OSanjaya, these words. Are ye well, having spent that harassing period ofsojourn, ye who were unworthy of such harassment?’ In no time will theybe appeased towards us, for though treated treacherously (by foes), yetthey are righteous and good. In no case, O Sanjaya, have I ever met withany untruthfulness on the part of the Pandavas. It was by their ownvalour that they had won all their prosperity, and (yet) they were everdutiful to me. Though I scrutinized their conduct, I could never findfault with them,–no, not even a single fault for which we might blamethem. They always act mindful of virtue and wealth; they never give wayto love of sensual enjoyments, or cold, or hunger, or thirst; they subduesteep and laziness and wrath and joy and heedlessness. The sons ofPritha, mindful of both virtue and wealth, are ever pleasant to all. Onproper occasions they part with their wealth to friends. Friendship withthem never loses its ardour on account of length of time; for they bestowhonours and wealth on every one according to his deserts. Not a soul inthe race of Ajamida ever entertains hatred for them excepting this vile,capricious, dull-headed Duryodhana, and excepting also the still moremean-minded Karna. These two always enhance the energy of thosehigh-souled ones who have been divested of both friends and happiness.Enterprising and brought up in every indulgence, Duryodhana reckons allthat to be well-done. It is childish on Duryodhana’s part to think thatit is possible to rob the Pandavas of their just share so long as theyare alive. It is wise to yield to Yudhishthira his due share before thewar,–to him whose steps are followed by Arjuna and Krishna and Bhima andSatyaki and the two sons of Madri and the warriors of the Srinjaya race.That wielder of the Gandiva, Savyasachin, seated on his car, would alonebe able to devastate the whole world. And likewise the victorious andhigh-souled Krishna, the lord of the three worlds, incapable of defeat isable to do the same. What mortal would stand before him who is the oneworthiest person in all the worlds and who discharges his multitude ofarrows that roar like the clouds, covering all sides, like flights ofswiftly-coursing locusts? Alone on his car, holding the Gandiva, he hadconquered the northern regions as also the Kurus of the north and broughtaway with him all their wealth. He converted the people of the Dravidaland to be a portion of his own army. It was Falguna, the wielder of theGandiva, who defeating in the Khandava woods all the gods together withIndra, made offerings to Agni, enhancing the honour and fame of thePandavas. Of all wielders again of the mace, there is none equal toBhima; and there is none also who is so skilful a rider of elephants. Oncar, they say, he yields not to even Arjuna; and as to might of arms, heis equal to ten thousand elephants. Well-trained and active, he who hathagain been rendered bitterly hostile, would in anger consume theDhartarashtras in no time. Always wrathful, and strong of arms, he is notcapable of being subdued in battle by even Indra himself. Of great heart,and strong, and endued with great lightness of hand, the two (twin)brothers, sons of Madri, carefully trained by Arjuna, would leave not afoe alive, like to a pair of hawks preying upon large flocks of birds.This our army, so full, to tell thee the truth, will be nowhere when itwill encounter them. In their side will be Dhrishtadyumna, endued withgreat activity,–one who is regarded as one of the Pandavas themselves.The chief of the Somaka tribe, with his followers, is, I have heard, sodevoted to the cause of the Pandavas that he is ready to lay down hisvery life for them. Who would be able to withstand Yudhishthira who haththe best of the Vrishni tribe (Krishna) for his leader? I have heard thatVirata, the chief of the Matsyas, with whom the Pandavas had lived forsome time and whose wishes were fulfilled by them, old in years, isdevoted, along with his sons to the Pandava cause, and hath become anadherent of Yudhishthira. Deposed from the throne of the Kekaya land, anddesirous of being reinstated thereon, the five mighty brothers from thatland, wielding mighty bows, are now following the sons of Pritha ready tofight. All who are valiant among the lords of the earth have been broughttogether and are devoted to the Pandava cause. I hear that they are bold,worthy, and respectful,–they who have allied themselves to the virtuousking Yudhishthira from feelings of attachment to him. And many warriorsdwelling on the hills and inaccessible fastnesses, and many that are highin lineage and old in years, and many Mlechcha tribes also wieldingweapons of various kinds, have been assembled together and are devoted tothe cause of the Pandavas. And there hath come Pandya also, who, hardlyinferior to Indra on the field of battle, is followed when he fights bynumberless warriors of great courage. Remarkably heroic and endued withprowess and energy that have no parallel, he is devoted to the Pandavacause. That same Satyaki who, I have heard, obtained weapons from Dronaand Arjuna and Krishna and Kripa and Bhishma, and who is said to be equalto the son of Krishna, is devotedly attached to the Pandava cause. Andthe assembled kings of the Chedi and the Karusha tribes have all takenthe part of the Pandavas with all their resources. That one in theirmidst, who, having been endued with blazing beauty, shone like the sun,whom all persons deemed unassailable in battle and the very best of alldrawers of the bow on earth, was slain by Krishna in a trice, by help ofhis own great might, and counting for naught the bold spirit of all theKshatriya kings. Kesava cast his eyes on that Sishupala and smote him,enhancing the fame and honour of the sons of Pandu. It was the sameSishupala who was highly honoured by those kings at whose head stood theking of the Karusha tribe. Then the other kings, deeming Krishnaunassailable when seated on his car drawn by Sugriva and other steeds,left the chief of the Chedis and ran away like small animals at the sightof a lion. And it was thus that he, who, from audacity had sought tooppose and encounter Krishna in a combat hand to hand, was slain byKrishna and lay down lifeless, resembling a Karnikara tree uprooted by agale. O Sanjaya, O son of Gavalgana, what they have told me of theactivity of Krishna in cause of Pandu’s sons, and what I remember of hispast achievements, leave me no peace of mind. No foe whatsoever iscapable of withstanding them, who are under the lead of that lion of theVrishni tribe. My heart is trembling with fear upon learning that the twoKrishnas, are seated on the selfsame car. If my dull-headed son forbearto fight with those two, then may he fare well,–else those two willconsume the race of Kuru as Indra and Upendra consume the Daitya hosts.Dhananjaya is, I conceive, equal to Indra, and the greatest of theVrishni race, Krishna, is the Eternal Vishnu himself. The son of Kuntiand Pandu, Yudhishthira, is virtuous and brave and eschews deeds thatbring on shame. Endued with great energy, he hath been wronged byDuryodhana. If he were not high-minded, the would in wrath burn theDhritarashtras. I do not so much dread Arjuna or Bhima or Krishna or thetwin brothers as I dread the wrath of the king, O Suta, when his wrath isexcited. His austerities are great; he is devoted to Brahmacharyapractices. His heart’s wishes will certainly be fulfilled. When I thinkof his wrath, O Sanjaya, and consider how just it is, I am filled withalarm. Go thou speedily on a car, despatched by me, where the troops ofthe king of the Panchalas are encamped. Thou wilt ask Yudhishthira abouthis welfare. Thou wilt repeatedly address him in affectionate terms. Thouwilt also meet Krishna, O child, who is the chief of all brave men andwho is endued with a magnanimous soul. Him also thou wilt ask on my partas to his welfare, and tell him that Dhritarashtra is desirous of peacewith Pandu’s sons. O Suta, there is nothing that Yudhishthira, the son ofKunti, would not do at the bidding of Krishna. Kesava is as dear to themas their own selves. Possessed of great learning, he is ever devoted totheir cause. Thou wilt also enquire about the welfare of all theassembled sons of Pandu and the Srinjayas and Satyaki and Virata and allthe five sons of Draupadi, professing to be a messenger from me. Andwhatsoever also thou mayst deem to be opportune, and beneficial for theBharata race, all that, O Sanjaya, thou must say in the midst of thosekings,–everything, in sooth, that may not be unpalatable or provocativeof war.’