Chapter 61

Vaisampayana said,–“During the course of this gambling, certain to bringabout utter ruin (on Yudhishthira), Vidura, that dispeller of all doubts,(addressing Dhritarashtra) said, ‘O great king,

O thou of the Bharatarace, attend to what I say, although my words may not be agreeable tothee, like medicine to one that is ill and about to breathe his last.When this Duryodhana of sinful mind had, immediately after his birth,cried discordantly like a jackal, it was well known that he had beenordained to bring about the destruction of the Bharata race. Know, Oking, that he will be the cause of death of ye all. A jackal is living inthy house, O king, in the form of Duryodhana. Thou knowest it not inconsequence of thy folly. Listen now to the words of the Poet (Sukra)which I will quote. They that collect honey (in mountains), havingreceived what they seek, do not notice that they are about to fall.Ascending dangerous heights, abstracted in the pursuit of what they seek,they fall down and meet with destruction. This Duryodhana also, maddenedwith the play at dice, like the collector of honey, abstracted in what heseeketh, marketh not the consequences. Making enemies of these greatwarriors, he beholdeth not the fall that is before him. It is known tothee, O thou of great wisdom, that amongst the Bhojas, they abandoned,for the good of the citizens a son that was unworthy of their race. TheAndhakas, the Yadavas, and the Bhojas uniting together, abandoned Kansa.And afterwards, when at the command of the whole tribe, the same Kansahad been slain by Krishna that slayer of foes, all the men of the tribebecame exceedingly happy for a hundred years. So at thy command, letArjuna slay this Suyodhana. And in consequence of the slaying of thiswretch, let the Kurus be glad and pass their days in happiness. Inexchange of a crow, O great king, buy these peacocks–the Pandavas; andin exchange of a jackal, buy these tigers. For the sake of a family amember may be sacrificed; for the sake of a village a family may besacrificed, for the sake of a province a village may be sacrificed andfor the sake of one’s own soul the whole earth may be sacrificed. Eventhis was what the omniscient Kavya himself, acquainted with the thoughtsof every creature, and a source of terror unto all foes, said unto thegreat Asuras to induce them to abandon Jambha at the moment of his birth.It is said that a certain king, having caused a number of wild birds thatvomited gold to take up their quarters in his own house, afterwardskilled them from temptation. O slayer of foes, blinded by temptation andthe desire of enjoyment, for the sake of gold, the king destroyed at thesame time both his present and future gains. Therefore, O king, prosecutenot the Pandavas from desire of profit, even like the king in story. Forthen, blinded by folly thou wilt have to repent afterwards, even like theperson that killed the birds. Like a flower-seller that plucketh (manyflowers) in the garden from trees that he cherisheth with affection fromday to day, continue, O Bharata, to pluck flowers day by day from thePandavas. Do not scorch them to their roots like a fire-producing breezethat reduceth everything to black charcoal. Go not, O king, unto theregion of Yama, with thy sons and troops, for who is there that iscapable of fighting with the sons of Pritha, together? Not to speak ofothers, is the chief of the celestials at the head of the celestialsthemselves, capable of doing so?”