Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (57 page)

‘Duryodhana said, “When he met Chitrasena, Arjuna smiled. The scorcher of enemies spoke these words, which weren’t those of an impotent one. ‘O brave one! O supreme among gandharvas! You should release our brothers. They should not be oppressed as long as the sons of Pandu are alive.’ O Karna! Having been thus addressed by the great-souled Pandava, the gandharva revealed the reason why we had come—to see the Pandavas and their wife in misery, devoid of happiness. When the gandharva revealed this through his words, I wished to enter a hole in the earth in shame. Together with the Pandavas, the gandharva then went to Yudhishthira and told him about our plans, handing us over to him in bonds. What greater misery can there be than being offered to Yudhishthira, miserable and tied, under the control of the enemy, and in the sight of the women? They have always been persecuted by me. They have always been my enemies. They set me free. I am evil-minded indeed, that I owe my life to them. O brave one! It would have been better had I encountered my death in that great battle, than to obtain my life in this way. Had I been killed by the gandharvas, my fame would have been recounted on earth. In Indra’s world, I would have obtained the sacred worlds of eternal bliss. O bull among men! Listen to what I have now resolved to do. I will remain here and fast to death. The rest of you return home. Let all my brothers also return to the city now and also my well-wishers and relatives, with Karna and the others. With Duhshasana at the forefront, let them return to the city. Humiliated by the enemy, I will not return to the city. I used to rob the enemy of his honour and earn respect for my well-wishers. I have now inflicted sorrow on my well-wishers and have increased the
delight of my enemies. Having returned to Varanahrya,
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what will I tell the king? What will Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Drona’s son,
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Vidura, Sanjaya, Bahlika, Somadatta, the others who are honoured by the elders, the brahmanas, the chiefs of the various professions and those who are strangers, have to say to me? What will I reply to them? So far, I have stood on the heads of my enemies and have trod on their chests. Through my own sins, I have now been dislodged. What will I tell them? Insolent ones may obtain prosperity, learning and riches. But like me, because they are intoxicated by insolence, they cannot maintain that fortune for long. Out of my foolishness, I have committed an evil act. I was deluded by my own evil intelligence. That is the reason why I am confronted with this calamity. I will therefore fast to death. I am incapable of living any longer. No one with spirit wishes to remain alive after an enemy has saved him from a calamity. I am proud, but have lost my manliness. The enemy has laughed at me. The Pandavas have great valour and have looked down at me with disrespect.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘While he was thinking in this way, he spoke these words to Duhshasana. “O Duhshasana! O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Listen to my words. You are being instated as a king by me and accept this. Protected by Karna and Soubala, rule over this extensive earth. Protect your brothers as confidently as the slayer of Vritra
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protects the Maruts. Just as the gods earn a living from Shatakratu, let your relatives earn a living from you. Without any deviation, always provide livelihood to brahmanas. Always be the refuge for your relatives and well-wishers. Just as Vishnu looks after the masses of gods, look after the relatives. Protect the seniors. Go and govern the earth. Gladden all your well-wishers and chastise the enemies.” Embracing him
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by the neck, he asked him to go. On hearing these words, Duhshasana was miserable. He was extremely sorrowful and his words were choked with tears. He joined his hands
in salutation. In a broken voice, he told his elder brother to relent. His heart burnt and he prostrated himself on the ground. In sorrow, he shed tears on his
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feet and the tiger among men said, “This cannot be. The earth with its mountains can be shattered. They sky can be splintered. The sun can lose its light. The moon can lose its cool. The wind can lose its speed. The Himalayas can begin to walk. The water of the ocean may be dried up. The fire can lose its head. O king! But I will not govern the earth without you.” He repeatedly spoke words asking him to relent. “In our lineage, you alone will be the king for one hundred years.” He touched the feet of his elder brother, who deserved to be honoured by him.

‘On seeing Duhshasana and Suyodhana in grief, Karna, who was himself miserable, approached and said, “O Kouravyas! Why are you overcome by childish grief, like two ordinary people? Sorrow can never be driven away through grieving. Grieving never alters the state of the one who is sorrowful. What will be gained through this lamentation? Get a grip on your own selves. Do not delight the enemies through this sorrow. O king! The Pandavas performed their duty in freeing you. Those who reside within a king’s dominions, must always do that which is pleasant for him. Under your protection, the Pandavas have resided without any anxiety. You should not grieve like an ordinary person. Your brothers are despondent because you have decided to fast to death. O fortunate one! Arise and move around. Comfort your brothers. O king! I do not understand your present foolish conduct. O brave one! O destroyer of enemies! What is surprising in the Pandavas setting you free, when you were in the clutches of your enemies? O Kouravya! Those who live within the kingdom, especially those who are soldiers, must act for the pleasure of the king, whether they are known to him or not. It often happens that the foremost among men, capable of crushing enemy armies, are captured on the field of battle and are freed by ordinary soldiers. Men who are soldiers and reside within a king’s dominions, must appropriately endeavour to accomplish the king’s objectives. O king! The Pandavas live in your kingdom. Even if they have freed you
now, what is the reason for this lamentation? O king! O supreme among kings! When you marched out with your army, what is improper is that the Pandavas did not follow you at the back. They are brave and powerful. But they withdrew from the field of battle, though they had earlier become your possessions in the assembly hall. You are enjoying the riches of the Pandavas. But look at the Pandavas. They are still powerful and are not fasting to death. O king! O fortunate one! Arise! You should not think about this. Those who live within a king’s boundaries must do pleasant things for the king. Why should one lament about that? O Indra among kings! Listen to my words. O destroyer of enemies! If you do not act in accordance with them, I will stay here at your feet and serve you. O bull among men! Without you, I do not desire to live. O king! If you decide to fast to death, all the other kings will laugh at you.” Having been thus addressed by Karna, King Duryodhana still decided not to rise, having set his mind on going to heaven.’

Vaishampayana said, ‘King Duryodhana was intolerant and was still determined to fast to death. O king! Shakuni Soubala spoke gently to him. “O Kourava! You have heard what Karna has told you and his words are right. Out of delusion, why should you throw away the riches that I obtained for you? O supreme among kings! Like a foolish one, why do you desire to give up your life? It seems to me that you have never visited the elders.
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If one does not control sudden happiness or unhappiness, even if one obtains prosperity, it is destroyed, like an unbaked vessel in water. A king who is extremely timid, extremely impotent, procrastinating, absent-minded and addicted to the senses—is not served by prosperity. You have been served by a good act. Why do you exhibit this contrary sentiment of
sorrow? You should not destroy the good act of the Parthas by resorting to this sorrow. You should reward the good act of the Pandavas by being happy. O Indra among kings! Instead, you are sorrowing and acting in a contrary way. Be gracious and do not give up your life. Be satisfied and remember the good deed. Return the kingdom to the Parthas and earn fame and dharma. By performing this act, you will show your gratitude. Be fraternal towards the Pandavas and give them their places again. You will be happy if you return the ancestral kingdom to them.” Having heard Shakuni’s words, and glancing with brotherly affection at Duhshasana prostrate at his feet, who was brave but was now acting timidly, he embraced Duhshasana, the scorcher of enemies, with his well-formed arms and raised him. He lovingly smelt the fragrance of his head.

‘King Duryodhana was already sorrowful. Having heard Karna and Soubala’s words, he was overcome with shame and became extremely despondent. Having heard his well-wishers, he angrily said, “I am no longer concerned with dharma, riches, friendship, prosperity or acts of pleasure. Do not be frustrated. Leave. I have made up my mind that I will fast to death. All of you return to the city and show honour to my superiors.” But they replied to the king who was the destroyer of his enemies. “O Indra among kings! O descendant of the Bharata lineage! The path that you traverse is also ours. How can we return to the city without you?” He was addressed in many different ways by his well-wishers, advisers, brothers and relatives. But he had made up his mind and would not waver. In accordance with his resolution, Dhritarashtra’s son spread
darbha
on the ground.
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He purified himself by touching water and sat down on the ground. He was attired in rags and a garment made of kusha and established himself in the supreme rite. The tiger among kings maintained silence. He was desirous of going to heaven. He controlled his mind and cut himself off from the external world.

‘On learning of his resolve, the daityas and the danavas, the terrible denizens of the nether regions, who had earlier been defeated by the gods, knew that their own side would be weakened because
of Duryodhana.
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They performed a sacrifice so as to summon him. They were skilled in mantras and pronounced mantras uttered by Brihaspati and Ushanas. They performed the rites mentioned in the Atharva Veda and the Upanishads, those that were capable of being performed through mantras and prayers. There were brahmanas who were learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas and extremely firm in their vows. Extremely attentively, they uttered mantras and poured offerings of milk into the fire. When those rites were completed, Kritya arose from the fire.
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O king! She was extremely wonderful and had a gaping mouth. “What must I do?” she asked. Extremely happy in their souls, the daityas told her, “The king who is Dhritarashtra’s son is fasting to death. Bring him here.” Thus commanded, Kritya agreed that she would do this, and departed. In an instant, she went to where King Suyodhana was. She grasped the king and entered the nether regions.
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Within an instant, she brought him and handed him over to the danavas. On seeing that the king had been brought, the danavas assembled at night. All of them were delighted in their minds and their eyes were dilated in delight. They then spoke these proud words to Duryodhana.’

‘The danavas said, “O Suyodhana! O Indra among kings! O extender of the Bharata lineage! You are always surrounded by brave and great-souled ones. Why have you resorted to this rash deed of fasting to death? Suicide always brings a person down and ill words are spoken about such a person. Intelligent ones like you
should never embark on contrary tasks that strike at the roots of their best interests. Restrain this resolution. O king! This is destructive of dharma, artha and happiness. It kills fame, power and fortitude and increases the happiness of the enemies. O lord! O king! Hear the truth about your divine origins and how this body of yours came to be created. Then resort to fortitude. O king! In ancient times, through our austerities, we obtained you from Maheshvara.
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O unblemished one! The upper part of your body has been made from a collection of vajras and is impenetrable to every type of weapon.
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The lower part was created by the goddess
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herself, out of flowers, and its handsome form is attractive to women. O supreme among kings! O tiger among kings! Thus, your body was created both by Ishvara and by the goddess. You are divine, not human. There are extremely valorous kshatriyas, with Bhagadatta at the forefront. They are brave and skilled in the use of divine weapons and will kill your enemies. Therefore, do not grieve. There is no reason for fear. To aid you, many brave danavas have been born on earth. Other asuras will penetrate Bhishma, Drona and Kripa. Possessed by them, they will discard their kindness and fight with your enemies. O supreme among Kurus! When the danavas have possessed their inner souls, they will cast aside all affection and kill everyone in battle—sons, brothers, fathers, relatives, students, kin, young and old. Those tigers among men will be deluded through ignorance. They will be driven by the dictates of destiny. Their minds will be dark and they will discard all love. They will gleefully tell each other, ‘You will not escape with your life.’ They will establish themselves in their manliness and release every kind of weapon.
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Priding themselves, those foremost ones among the Kurus will destroy a large number of people. The great-souled Pandavas will be capable of fighting back. Those greatly strong
ones are favoured by destiny. O king! They will kill masses of daityas and rakshasas who have been born in the wombs of kshatriyas and who will fight with your enemies with clubs, maces, swords and missiles.
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O brave one! Whatever fear there exists in your heart about Arjuna, for that too, we have devised a means for Arjuna. The soul of Naraka, who had been killed, has entered Karna. O brave one! Because of that enmity, he will fight Keshava and Arjuna.
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Karna is supreme among warriors. He is proud in battle. That maharatha will defeat Partha and all the enemies in battle. The wielder of the vajra
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knows this. To protect Savyasachi, he will rob Karna of his earrings and armour. But there are hundreds and thousands of daityas with us. We have also appointed rakshasas by the name of
samshaptaka
s.
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Those famous ones will kill the brave Arjuna. Do not sorrow. O king! This entire earth will be yours, without any rivals. Do not resort to despondency. That is not worthy of you. O Kourava! If you are destroyed, our side will be weakened. O brave one! Depart. You should never direct your intelligence towards any other task. You are our recourse, just as the Pandavas are of the gods.”’