Chapter 60

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Beholding the (Kuru) king struck down unfairly,what O Suta, did the mighty Baladeva, that foremost one of Yadu’s race,say? Tell me, O Sanjaya, what Rohini’s son, well-skilled in encounterswith the mace and well acquainted with all its rules, did on thatoccasion!’

“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding thy son struck at the thighs, the mighty Rama,that foremost of smiters, became exceedingly angry. Raising his armsaloft the hero having the plough for his weapon, in a voice of deepsorrow, said in the midst of those kings, “Oh, fie on Bhima, fie onBhima! Oh, fie, that in such a fair fight a blow hath been struck belowthe navel! Never before hath such an act as Vrikodara hath done beenwitnessed in an encounter with the mace! No limb below the navel shouldbe struck. This is the precept laid down in treatises! This Bhima,however, is an ignorant wretch, unacquainted with the truths oftreatises! He, therefore, acteth as he likes!” While uttering thesewords, Rama gave way to great wrath. The mighty Baladeva then, upliftinghis plough, rushed towards Bhimasena! The form of that high-souledwarrior of uplifted arms then became like that of the gigantic mountainsof Kailasa variegated with diverse kinds of metals. The mighty Keshava,however, ever bending with humanity, seized the rushing Rama encirclinghim with his massive and well-rounded arms. Those two foremost heroes ofYadu’s race, the one dark in complexion and the other fair, lookedexceedingly beautiful at that moment, like the Sun and the Moon, O king,on the evening sky! For pacifying the angry Rama, Keshava addressed him,saying, “There are six kinds of advancement that a person may have: one’sown advancement, the advancement of one’s friends, the advancement ofone’s friends’, the decay of one’s enemy, the decay of one’s enemy’sfriends, and the decay of one’s enemy’s friends’ friends. When reverseshappen to one’s own self or to one’s friends, one should then understandthat one’s fall is at hand and, therefore, one should at such times lookfor the means of applying a remedy. The Pandavas of unsullied prowess areour natural friends. They are the children of our own sire’s sister! Theyhad been greatly afflicted by their foes! The accomplishment of one’s vowis one’s duty. Formerly Bhima had vowed in the midst of the assembly thathe would in great battle break with his mace the thighs of Duryodhana.The great Rishi Maitreya also, O scorcher of foes, had formerly cursedDuryodhana, saying, ‘Bhima will, with his mace, break thy thighs!’ Inconsequence of all this, I do not see any fault in Bhima! Do not give wayto wrath, O slayer of Pralamva! Our relationship with the Pandavas isfounded upon birth and blood, as also upon an attraction of hearts. Intheir growth is our growth. Do not, therefore, give way to wrath, O bullamong men!” Hearing these words of Vasudeva the wielder of the plough,who was conversant with rules of morality, said, “Morality is wellpractised by the good. Morality, however, is always afflicted by twothings, the desire of Profit entertained by those that covet it, and thedesire for Pleasure cherished by those that are wedded to it. Whoeverwithout afflicting Morality and Profit, or Morality and Pleasure, orPleasure and Profit, followeth all three–Morality, Profit andPleasure–always succeeds in obtaining great happiness. In consequence,however, of morality being afflicted by Bhimasena, this harmony of whichI have spoken hath been disturbed, whatever, O Govinda, thou mayst tellme!” Krishna replied, saying, “Thou art always described as bereft ofwrath, and righteous-souled and devoted to righteousness! Calm thyself,therefore, and do not give way to wrath! Know that the Kali age is athand. Remember also the vow made by the son of Pandu! Let, therefore, theson of Pandu be regarded to have paid off the debt he owed to hishostility and to have fulfilled his vow!”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Hearing this fallacious discourse from Keshava, Oking, Rama failed to dispel his wrath and became cheerful. He then saidin that assembly, “Having unfairly slain king Suyodhana of righteoussoul, the son of Pandu shall be reputed in the world as a crookedwarrior! The righteous-souled Duryodhana, on the other hand, shall obtaineternal blessedness! Dhritarashtra’s royal son, that ruler of men, whohath been struck down, is a fair warrior. Having made every arrangementfor the Sacrifice of battle and having undergone the initiatoryceremonies on the field, and, lastly, having poured his life as alibation upon the fire represented by his foes, Duryodhana has fairlycompleted his sacrifice by the final ablutions represented by theattainment of glory!” Having said these words, the valiant son of Rohini,looking like the crest of a white cloud, ascended his car and proceededtowards Dwaraka. The Pancalas with the Vrishnis, as also the Pandavas, Omonarch, became rather cheerless after Rama had set out for Dwaravati.Then Vasudeva, approaching Yudhishthira who was exceedingly melancholyand filled with anxiety, and who hung down his head and knew not what todo in consequence of his deep affliction, said unto him these words:

“‘Vasudeva said, “O Yudhishthira the just, why dost thou sanction thisunrighteous act, since thou permittest the head of the insensible andfallen Duryodhana whose kinsmen and friends have all been slain to bethus struck by Bhima with his foot. Conversant with the ways of morality,why dost thou, O king, witness this act with indifference?”

“‘Yudhishthira answered, “This act, O Krishna, done from wrath, ofVrikodara’s touching the head of the king with his foot, is not agreeableto me, nor am I glad at this extermination of my race! By guile were wealways deceived by the sons of Dhritarashtra! Many were the cruel wordsthey spoke to us. We were again exiled into the woods by them. Great isthe grief on account of all those acts that is in Bhimasena’s heart!Reflecting on all this, O thou of Vrishni’s race, I looked on withindifference! Having slain the covetous Duryodhana bereft of wisdom andenslaved by his passions, let the son of Pandu gratify his desire, be itrighteousness or unrighteousness!”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘After Yudhishthira had said this, Vasudeva, thatperpetuator of Yadu’s race, said with difficulty, “Let it be so!” Indeed,after Vasudeva had been addressed in those words by Yudhishthira, theformer, who, always wished what was agreeable to and beneficial forBhima, approved all those acts that Bhima had done in battle. Havingstruck down thy son in battle, the wrathful Bhimasena, his heart filledwith joy, stood with joined hands before Yudhishthira and saluted him inproper form. With eyes expanded in delight and proud of the victory hehad won, Vrikodara of great energy, O king, addressed his eldest brother,saying, “The Earth is today thine, O king, without brawls to disturb herand with all her thorns removed! Rule over her, O monarch, and observethe duties of thy order! He who was the cause of these hostilities andwho fomented them by means of his guile, that wretched wight fond ofdeception, lieth, struck down, on the bare ground, O lord of earth! Allthese wretches headed by Duhshasana, who used to utter cruel words, asalso those other foes of thine, the son of Radha, and Shakuni, have beenslain! Teeming with all kinds of gems, the Earth, with her forests andmountains, O monarch, once more cometh to thee that hast no foes alive!”

“‘Yudhishthira said, “Hostilities have come to an end! King Suyodhanahath been struck down! The earth hath been conquered (by us), ourselveshaving acted according to the counsels of Krishna! By good luck, thouhast paid off thy debt to thy mother and to thy wrath! By good luck, thouhast been victorious, O invincible hero, and by good luck, thy foe hathbeen slain!”‘”