Chapter 92

“Vaisampayana said, ‘After Kesava had dined and been refreshed, Vidurasaid unto him during the night, ‘O Kesava, this advent of thine hath notbeen a well judged one, for, O Janardana,Dhritarashtra’s sontransgresseth the rules of both profit and religion, is wicked andwrathful, insulteth others, though himself desirous of honours, anddisobeyeth the commands of the aged. He is, O Madhava, a transgressor ofthe scriptures, ignorant, and of wicked soul, already overtaken by fate,untractable, and disposed to do evil to those that seek his good. Hissoul is possessed by desire and lust. He foolishly regardeth himself asvery wise. He is the enemy of all his true friends. Ever-suspicious,without any control over his soul, and ungrateful, he hath abandoned allvirtue and is in love with sin. He is foolish, with understandinguncultivated, a slave of his senses, ever obedient to the impulses oflust and avarice, and irresolute in every act that should be done. He isendued with these and many other vices. Although thou wilt point out tohim what is for his good, he will yet disregard it all, moved by prideand anger. He hath great faith in Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, andKarna, and Drona’s son, and Jayadratha, and, therefore, he never settethhis heart on peace, O Janardana. Dhritarashtra’s sons, with Karna, firmlybelieve that the Pandavas are incapable of even looking at Bhishma,Drona, and other heroes, not to speak of fighting against them. Thefoolish Duryodhana of limited sight, having assembled a huge armyregardeth, O slayer of Madhu, that his purposes are already achieved. Thefoolish son of Dhritarashtra hath arrived at the conclusion that Karna,single-handed, is competent to vanquish his foes. He will, therefore,never make peace. Thou, O Kesava, desirest to establish peace andbrotherly feelings between the two parties. But know that all the sons ofDhritarashtra have come to the conclusion that they would not give untothe Pandavas what, indeed, the latter have a right to. With those thatare so resolved thy words will certainly prove vain. Where, O slayer ofMadhu, words, good or bad, are of the same effect, no wise man wouldspend his breath for nothing, like a singer before the deaf. As aBrahmana before a conclave of Chandalas, thy words, O Madhava, wouldcommand no respect among those ignorant and wicked wretches that have noreverence for all that deserveth reverence. Foolish, as long as he hathstrength, he will never obey thy counsels. Whatever words thou mayestspeak to him will be perfectly futile. It doth not seem proper to me, OKrishna, that thou shouldst go into the midst of these wicked-mindedwretches seated together. It doth not seem proper to me, O Krishna, thatgoing thither thou shouldst utter words against those wicked-souled,foolish, unrighteous wights, strong in number. In consequence of theirhaving never worshipped the aged, in consequence of their having beenblinded by prosperity and pride, and owing to the pride of youth andwrath, they will never accept the good advice thou mayest place beforethem. He hath mustered a strong force, O Madhava, and he hath hissuspicions of thyself. He will, therefore, never obey any counsel thatthou mayest offer. The sons of Dhritarashtra, O Janardana, are inspiredwith the firm belief that at present Indra himself, at the head of allthe celestials, is incapable of defeating them in battle. Efficacious asthy words always are, they will prove to be of no efficacy with personsimpressed with such a conviction and who always follow the impulses oflust and wrath. Staying in the midst of his ranks of elephants and hisarmy consisting of cars and heroic infantry, the foolish and wickedDuryodhana, with all fears dispelled, regardeth the whole earth to havealready been subjugated by him. Indeed, Dhritarashtra’s son covetethextensive empire on the earth without any rivals. Peace, therefore, withhim is unattainable. That which he hath in his possession he regardeth asunalterably his. Alas, the destruction on the earth seems to be at handfor the sake of Duryodhana, for, impelled by fate, the kings of theearth, with all the Kshatriya warriors, have assembled together, desirousof battling with the Pandavas? All those kings, O Krishna, are in enmitywith thee and have all been deprived of their possessions before this bythee. Through fear of thee those heroic monarchs have joined togetherwith Karna and made an alliance with Dhritarashtra’s sons. Reckless oftheir very lives, all those warriors have united with Duryodhana and arefilled with delight at the prospect of fighting the Pandavas. O hero ofDasarha’s race, it doth not commend itself to me that thou shouldst enterinto their midst. How, O grinder of foes, wilt thou repair into the midstof those numerous enemies of thine, of wicked souls, and seated together?O thou of mighty arms, thou art, indeed, incapable of being vanquished bythe very gods, and I know, O slayer of foes, thy manliness andintelligence. O Madhava, the love I bear to thee is equal to that I bearto the sons of Pandu. I say, therefore, these words to thee from myaffection, regard, and friendship for thee. What need is there inexpressing to thee the delight that has been mine at sight of thypersons, for, thou, O thou of eyes like lotus, art the inner Soul of allembodied creatures.'”