Chapter 58

“Dhritarashtra said, Yudhishthira the son of Pandu is endued withKshatriya energy and leadeth the Brahmacharya mode of life from his veryyouth. Alas, with him these foolish sons of mine desire to fight,disregarding me that am thus bewailing. I ask thee, O Duryodhana, Oforemost of the Bharata race, desist from hostility. O chastiser of foes,under any circumstances, war is never applauded. Half the earth is quiteenough for the maintenance of thyself and all thy followers. Give backunto the sons of Pandu, O chastiser of foes, their proper share. All theKauravas deem just this to be consistent with justice, that thou shouldstmake peace with the high-souled sons of Pandu. Reflect thus, O son, andthou wilt find that this thy army is for thy own death. Thouunderstandest not this from thy own folly. I myself do not desire war,nor Vahlika, nor Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Aswatthaman, nor Sanjaya, norSomadatta, nor Salya, nor Kripa, nor Satyavrata, nor Purumitra, norBhurisravas,–in fact, none of these desireth war. Indeed, those warriorsupon whom the Kauravas, when afflicted by the foe, will have to rely, donot approve of the war. O child, let that be acceptable to thee. Alas,thou dost not seek it of thy own will, but it is Karna and theevil-minded Dussasana and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, that are leadingthee to it.’

“Duryodhana said, ‘I challenge the Pandavas to battle, without dependingupon thyself, Drona, or Aswatthaman, or Sanjaya, or Vikarna, or Kamvoja,or Kripa, or Vahlika, or Satyavrata, or Purumitra, or Bhurisravas, orothers of thy party. But, O bull among men, only myself and Karna, Osire, are prepared to celebrate the sacrifice of battle with all thenecessary rites, making Yudhishthira the victim. In that sacrifice, mycar will be the altar; my sword will be the smaller ladle, my mace, thelarge one, for pouring libations; my coat of mail will be assembly ofspectators; my four steeds will be the officiating priests; my arrowswill be the blades of Kusa grass; and fame will be the clarified butter.O king, performing, in honour of Yama, such a sacrifice in battle, theingredients of which will all be furnished by ourselves, we will returnvictoriously covered with glory, after having slain our foes. Three ofus, O sire, viz., myself and Karna and my brother Dussasana,–will slaythe Pandavas in battle. Either I, slaying the Pandavas, will sway thisEarth, or the sons of Pandu, having slain me, will enjoy this Earth. Oking, O thou of unfading glory, I would sacrifice my life, kingdom,wealth, everything, but would not be able to live side by side with thePandavas. O venerable one, I will not surrender to the Pandavas even thatmuch of land which may be covered by the sharp point of a needle.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘I now abandon Duryodhana for ever. ‘A neverthelessgrieve for you all, ye kings, that will follow this fool who is about toproceed to Yama’s abode. Like tigers among a herd of deer, those foremostof smiters-the sons of Pandu,–will smite down your principal leadersassembled for battle. Methinks, the Bharata host, like a helpless woman,will be afflicted and crushed and hurled to a distance by Yuyudhana oflong arms. Adding to the strength of Yudhishthira’s army, which withouthim was already sufficient, Sini’s son will take up his stand on thefield of battle and scatter his arrows like seeds on a cultivated field.And Bhimasena will take up his position in the very van of thecombatants, and all his soldiers will fearlessly stand in his rear, asbehind a rampart. Indeed, when thou, O Duryodhana, wilt behold elephants,huge as hills, prostrated on the ground with their tusks disabled, theirtemples crushed and bodies dyed with gore,–in fact, when thou wilt seethem lying on the field of battle like riven hills, then, afraid of aclash with him, thou wilt remember these my words. Beholding thy hostconsisting of cars, steeds, and elephants, consumed by Bhimasena, andpresenting the spectacle of a wide-spread conflagration’s track, thouwilt remember these my words. If ye do not make peace with the Pandavas,overwhelming calamity will be yours. Slain by Bhimasena with his mace, yewill rest in peace. Indeed, when thou wilt see the Kuru host levelled tothe ground by Bhima, like a large forest torn up by the roots, then wiltthou remember these my words.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Having said this unto all those rulers of theearth, the king addressing Sanjaya again, asked him as follows.'”