Chapter 25

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Here are met the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, andKrishna, and Yuyudhana and Virata, O son of the Suta Gavalgana, tell usall that Dhritarashtra hath directed thee to say.’

“Sanjaya said, ‘I greet Yudhishthira, and Vrikodara and Dhananjaya, andthe two sons of Madri, and Vasudeva the descendant of Sura, and Satyaki,and the aged ruler of the Panchalas, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son ofPrishata. Let all listen to the words I say from a desire for the welfareof the Kurus. King Dhritarashtra, eagerly welcoming the chance of peace,hastened the preparation of my car for this journey here. Let it beacceptable to king Yudhishthira with his brothers and sons and relations.Let the son of Pandu prefer peace. The sons of Pritha are endowed withevery virtue with steadiness and mildness and candour. Born in a highfamily, they are humane, liberal, and loath to do any act which wouldbring on shame. They know what is proper to be done. A base deed is notbefitting you, for you are so high-minded, and have such a terriblefollowing of troops. If you committed a sinful act, it would be a blot onyour fair name, as a drop of collyrium on a white cloth. Who couldknowingly be ever guilty of an act, which would result in universalslaughter, which would be sinful and lead to hell,–an act consisting inthe destruction (of men), an act the result of which, whether it bevictory or defeat, is or the self-same value? Blessed are they that haveserved their relative’s cause. They are the true sons and friends andrelatives (of Kuru’s race) who would lay down life, life which is liableto be abused by misdeeds, in order to ensure the welfare of the Kurus. Ifyou, ye sons of Pritha, chastise the Kurus, by defeating and slaying allyour foes,–that subsequent life of yours would be equivalent to death,for what, in sooth, is life after having killed all your kinsfolk? Who,even if he were Indra himself with all the gods on his side, would beable to defeat you who are aided by Kesava and Chekitanas, and Satyaki,and are protected by Dhrishtadyumna’s arms? Who again, O king, can defeatin battle the Kurus who are protected by Drona and Bhishma, andAswatthaman, and Salya, and Kripa and Karna with a host of Kshatriyakings? Who, without loss to himself, is able to slay the vast forceassembled by Dhritarashtra’s son? Therefore it is, that I do not see anygood either in victory or in defeat. How can the sons of Pritha, likebase persons of low lineage, commit an act of unrighteousness? Therefore,I appease, I prostrate myself before Krishna and the aged kin I g of thePanchalas. I betake myself to you as my refuge, with joined hands, sothat both the Kurus and the Srinjayas may be benefited. It is not likelythat either Krishna or Dhananjaya will not act up to these my words.Either of them would lay down his life, if besought (to do so).Therefore, I say this for the success of my mission. This is the desireof the king and his counsellor Bhishma, that there may be confirmed peacebetween you (and the Kurus).'”