Chapter 79

“The holy one said, ‘It shall be, O thou of mighty arms, what thou, OPandavas, sayest, I will strive to bring about that which would bebeneficial to both the Pandavas and the Kurus. Between the two kinds ofacts, war and peace, the latter, O Vibhatsu, is perhaps within my power.Behold, the soil is moistened and divested of weeds by human exertion.Without rain, however, O son of Kunti, is never yieldeth crops. Indeed,in the absence of rain some speak of artificial irrigation, as a means ofsuccess due to human exertion, but even then it may be seen that thewater artificially let in is dried up in consequence of providentialdrought. Beholding all this, the wise men of old have said that humanaffairs are set agoing in consequence of the cooperation of bothprovidential and human expedients. I will do all that can be done byhuman exertion at its best. But I shall, by no means, be able to controlwhat is providential. The wicked-souled Duryodhana acteth, defying bothvirtue and the world. Nor doth he feel any regret in consequence of hisacting in that way. Moreover, his sinful inclinations are fed by hiscounsellors Sakuni and Karna and his brother Dussasana. Suyodhana willnever make peace by giving up the kingdom, without, O Partha, undergoingat our hands a wholesale destruction with his kinsmen. King Yudhishthirathe just doth not wish to give up the kingdom submissively. Thewicked-minded Duryodhana also will not at our solicitation surrender thekingdom. I, therefore, think that it is scarcely proper to deliverYudhishthira’s message to him. The sinful Duryodhana of Kuru’s race willnot, O Bharata, accomplish the objects spoken of by Yudhishthira. If herefuses compliance, he will deserve death at the hands of all. Indeed, hedeserves death at my hands, as also, O Bharata, of every one since inyour childhood he always persecuted you all, and since that wicked andsinful wretch robbed you of your kingdom and could not bear the sight ofYudhishthira’s prosperity. Many a time, O Partha, he strove to withdrawme from thee, but I never reckoned those wicked attempts of his. Thouknowest, O thou of mighty arms, what the cherished intentions ofDuryodhana are, and thou knowest also that I seek the welfare of kingYudhishthira the just. Knowing, therefore, Duryodhana’s heart and what mymost cherished wishes are, why then dost thou, O Arjuna, entertain suchapprehensions in respect of myself like one unacquainted with everything?That grave act also which was ordained in heaven is known to thee, Howthen, O Partha, can peace be concluded with the foe? What, however, OPandavas, is capable of being done by either speech or act, will all bedone by me. Do not, however, O Partha, expect peace to be possible withthe foe. About a year ago, on the occasion of attacking Virata’s kine,did not Bhishma, on their way back, solicit Duryodhana about this verypeace so beneficial to all? Believe me, they have been defeated even thenwhen their defeat was resolved by thee. Indeed, Suyodhana doth notconsent to part with the smallest portion of the kingdom for even theshortest period of time. As regards myself, I am ever obedient to thecommands of Yudhishthira, and, therefore, the sinful acts of that wickedwretch must have again to be revolved in my mind!'”