Chapter 203

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Dhritarashtra replied saying, I desire to do exactlywhat you would recommend. But I do not wish to inform Vidura of it evenby a change of muscle. It was, therefore, O son, that I was applaudingthe Pandavas in Vidura’s presence, so that he might not know even by asign what is in my mind. Now that Vidura hath gone away, this is thetime, O Suyodhana (Duryodhana), for telling me what thou hast hit upon,and what, O Radheya (Karna), thou too hast hit upon.’

“Duryodhana said. ‘Let us, O father, by means of trusted and skilful andadroit Brahmanas, seek to produce dissensions between the sons of Kuntiand Madri. Or, let king Drupada and his sons, and all his ministers ofstate, be plied with presents of large wealth, so that they may abandonthe cause of Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti. Or, let our spies induce thePandavas to settle in Drupada’s dominions, by describing to them,separately, the inconvenience of residing in Hastinapura, so that,separated from as, they may permanently settle in Panchala. Or, let someclever spies, full of resources, sowing the seeds of dissension among thePandavas, make them jealous of one another. Or, let them incite Krishnaagainst her husbands. She has many lords and this will not present anydifficulty. Or, let some seek to make the Pandavas themselvesdissatisfied with Krishna, in which case Krishna also will bedissatisfied with them. Or, let, O king, some clever spies, repairingthither, secretly compass the death of Bhimasena. Bhima is the strongestof them all. Relying upon Bhima alone, the Pandavas used to disregard us,of old. Bhima is fierce and brave and the (sole) refuge of the Pandavas.If he be slain, the others will be deprived of strength and energy.Deprived of Bhima who is their sole refuge, they will no longer strive toregain their kingdom. Arjuna, O king, is invincible in battle, if Bhimaprotecteth him from behind. Without Bhima, Arjuna is not equal to even afourth part of Radheya. Indeed, O king, the Pandavas conscious of theirown feebleness without Bhima and of our strength would not really striveto recover the kingdom. Or, if, O monarch, coming hither, they provedocile and obedient to us, we would then seek to repress them accordingto the dictates of political science (as explained by Kanika). Or, we maytempt them by means of handsome girls, upon which the princess ofPanchala will get annoyed with them. Or, O Radheya, let messengers bedespatched to bring them hither, so that, when arrived, we may throughtrusted agents, by some of the above methods, cause them to be slain.Strive, O father, to employ any of these (various) methods that mayappear to thee faultless. Time passeth. Before their confidence in kingDrupada–that bull amongst kings–is established we may succeed, Omonarch, to encounter them. But after their confidence hath beenestablished in Drupada, we are sure to fail. These, O father, are myviews for the discomfiture of the Pandavas. Judge whether they be good orbad. What, O Karna, dost thou think?'”