Chapter 81

“Yudhishthira said, ‘If one does not succeed in winning over one’skinsmen and relatives (by this course), they that are intended forbecoming friends become foes. How should one, then, conduct one’s self sothat the hearts of both friends and foes may be won?’

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection is cited the old history of adiscourse between Vasudeva and the celestial sage Narada. On a certainoccasion Vasudeva said, ‘Neither an illiterate and foolish friend, nor alearned friend of fickle soul, deserves, O Narada, to know one’s secretcounsels. Relying on thy friendship for me, I shall say something tothee, O sage! O thou that canst go to heaven at thy pleasure, one shouldspeak to another if one be convinced of the intelligence of that other. Inever behave with slavish obsequiousness towards my kinsmen by flatteringspeeches about their prosperity. I give them half of what I have, andforgive their evil speeches. As a fire-stick is grinded by a persondesirous of obtaining fire, even so my heart is ground by my kinsmen withtheir cruel speeches. Indeed, O celestial Rishi, those cruel speechesburn my heart every day. Might resides in Sankarshana; mildness in Gada;and as regards Pradyumna, he surpasses even myself in beauty of person.(Although I have all these on my side) yet I am helpless, O Narada! Manyothers among the Andhakas and the Vrishnis are possessed of greatprosperity and might, and during courage and constant perseverance. He onwhose side they do not range themselves meets with destruction. He, onthe other hand, on whose side they do range themselves, achieveseverything. Dissuaded (in turns) by both (viz., Ahuka and Akrura,) I donot side either of them. What can be more painful for a person than tohave both Ahuka and Akrura on his side? What, again, can be more painfulfor one than not to have both of them on his side?[242] I am like themother of two brothers gambling against each other, invoking victory toboth. I am thus, O Narada, afflicted by both. It behoveth thee to tell methat which is for the good of both myself and my kinsmen.’

“Narada said, ‘Calamities, O Krishna, are of two kinds, viz., externaland internal. They arise, O thou of Vrishni’s race, from one’s own actsor from the acts of others. The calamity that has now overtaken thee isan internal one and is born of thy own acts. Valadeva and others of theBhoja race are partisans of Akrura, and have taken up his side either forthe sake of wealth, or mere caprice, or moved by words or by hate. Asregards thyself, thou hast given away wealth obtained by thee to another.Though possessed of men who should be your friends, thou hast, however,by thy own act, brought calamity over thy head. Thou canst not take backthat wealth, even as one cannot swallow again the food that he hasvomited himself. The kingdom cannot be taken back from Babhu and Ugrasena(unto whom it has been given). Thyself, O Krishna, cannot, in particular,take it back (from them) from fear of producing intestine dissensions.Supposing the endeavour succeeds, it will do so after much trouble andafter the accomplishment of the most difficult feats. A great slaughterand a great loss of wealth will ensue, perhaps, even total destruction.Use then a weapon that is not made of steel, that is very mild and yetcapable of piercing all hearts. Sharpening and resharpening that weaponcorrect the tongues of thy kinsmen.’

“Vasudeva said, ‘What is that weapon, O sage, which is not made of steel,which is mild, which still pierces all hearts, and which I must use forcorrecting the tongues of my kinsmen?’

“Narada said, ‘The giving of food to the best of thy power, forgiveness,sincerity, mildness, and honour to whom honour is due, these constitute aweapon that is not made of steel. With soft words alone turn away theanger of kinsmen about the utter cruel speeches, and mollify their heartsand minds and slanderous tongues. None who is not a great man withcleansed soul and possessed of accomplishments and friends can bear aheavy burthen. Take up this great weight (of governing the Vrishnis) andbear it on thy shoulders. All oxen can bear heavy burthens on a levelroad. The stronger ones only among them can bear such burthens on adifficult road. From disunion destruction will spring and overtake allthe Bhojas and the Vrishnis. Thou, O Kesava, art the foremost one amongthem. Do thou act in such a manner that the Bhojas and the Vrishnis maynot meet with destruction. Nothing but intelligence and forgiveness,restraint of the senses, and liberality are present in a person ofwisdom. Advancing one’s own race is always praiseworthy and glorious andconducive to long life. Do thou, O Krishna, act in such a way thatdestruction may not overtake thy kinsmen. There is nothing unknown tothee in respect of policy and the art of war, O Lord! The Yadavas, theKukuras, the Bhojas, the Andhakas, and the Vrishnis, are all dependent onthee even as all the worlds and all the regents of those worlds, Omighty-armed one! The Rishis, O Madhava, always pray for thy advancement.Thou art the lord of all creatures. Thou knowest the past, the present,and the future. Thou art the foremost one among all the Yadavas. Relyingon thee, they expect to live in happiness.'”