Chapter 46

Vaisampayana said,–“That bull among men, Duryodhana, continued to dwellin that, assembly house (of the Pandavas).

And with Sakuni, the Kuruprince slowly examined the whole of that mansion, and the Kuru princebeheld in it many celestial designs, which he had never seen before inthe city called after the elephant (Hastinapore). And one day kingDuryodhana in going round that mansion came upon a crystal surface. Andthe king, from ignorance, mistaking it for a pool of water, drew up hisclothes. And afterwards finding out his mistake the king wandered aboutthe mansion in great sorrow. And sometime after, the king, mistaking alake of crystal water adorned with lotuses of crystal petals for land,fell into it with all his clothes on. Beholding Duryodhana fallen intothe lake, the mighty Bhima laughed aloud as also the menials of thepalace. And the servants, at the command of the king, soon brought himdry and handsome clothes. Beholding the plight of Duryodhana, the mightyBhima and Arjuna and both the twins–all laughed aloud. Being unused toputting up with insults, Duryodhana could not bear that laugh of theirs.Concealing his emotions he even did not cast his looks on them. Andbeholding the monarch once more draw up his clothes to cross a piece ofdry land which he had mistaken for water, they all laughed again. And theking sometime after mistook a closed door made of crystal as open. And ashe was about to pass through it his head struck against it, and he stoodwith his brain reeling. And mistaking as closed another door made ofcrystal that was really open, the king in attempting to open it withstretched hands, tumbled down. And coming upon another door that wasreally open, the king thinking it as closed, went away from it. And, Omonarch, king Duryodhana beholding that vast wealth in the Rajasuyasacrifice and having become the victim of those numerous errors withinthe assembly house at last returned, with the leave of the Pandavas, toHastinapore.

And the heart of king Duryodhana, afflicted at sight of the prosperity ofthe Pandavas, became inclined to sin, as he proceeded towards his cityreflecting on all he had seen and suffered. And beholding the Pandavashappy and all the kings of the earth paying homage to them, as alsoeverybody, young and old, engaged in doing good unto them, and reflectingalso on the splendour and prosperity of the illustrious sons of Pandu,Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, became pale. In proceeding (to hiscity) with an efflicted heart, the prince thought of nothing else butthat assembly house and that unrivalled prosperity of the wiseYudhishthira. And Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, was so taken upwith his thoughts then that he spoke not a word to Suvala’s son eventhough the latter addressed him repeatedly. And Sakuni, beholding himabsent-minded, said,–‘O Duryodhana, why art thou proceeding thus’?

“Duryodhana replied,–O uncle, beholding this whole earth owning the swayof Yudhishthira in consequence of the might of the illustrious Arjuna’sweapons and beholding also that sacrifice of the son of Pritha like untothe sacrifice of Sakra himself of great glory among the celestials, I,being filled with jealousy and burning day and night, am being dried uplike a shallow tank in the summer season. Behold, when Sisupala was slainby the chief of the Satwatas, there was no man to take the side ofSisupala. Consumed by the fire of the Pandava, they all forgave thatoffence; otherwise who is there that could forgive it? That highlyimproper act of grave consequence done by Vasudeva succeeded inconsequence of the power of the illustrious son of Pandu. And so manymonarchs also brought with them various kinds of wealth for kingYudhishthira, the son of Kunti, like tribute-paying Vaisyas! BeholdingYudhishthira’s prosperity of such splendour, my heart burneth, efflictedwith jealously, although it behoveth me not to be jealous.’

“Having reflected in this way, Duryodhana, as if burnt by fire, addressedthe king of Gandhara again and said,–‘I shall throw myself upon aflaming fire or swallow poison or drown myself in water. I cannot live.What man is there in the world possessed of vigour who can bear to seehis foes in the enjoyment of prosperity and himself in destitution?Therefore I who bear to see that accession of prosperity and fortune (inmy foes) am neither a woman nor one that is not a woman, neither also aman nor one that is not a man. Beholding their sovereignty over the worldand vast affluence, as also that sacrifice, who is there like me thatwould not smart under all that? Alone I am incapable of acquiring suchroyal prosperity; nor do I behold allies that could help me in thematter. It is for this that I am thinking of self-destruction. Beholdingthat great and serene prosperity of the son of Kunti, I regard Fate assupreme and exertions fruitless. O son of Suvala, formerly I strove tocompass his destruction. But baffling all my efforts he hath grown inprosperity even like the lotus from within a pool of water. It is forthis that I regard Fate as supreme and exertions fruitless. Behold, thesons of Dhritarashtra are decaying and the sons of Pritha are growing dayby day. Beholding that prosperity of the Pandavas, and that assemblyhouse of theirs, and those menials laughing at me, my heart burneth as ifit were on fire. Therefore, O uncle, know me now as deeply grieved andfilled with jealousy, and speak of it to Dhritarashtra.