“DESTRUCTION IS CONFIRMED FOR KURUS”

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > DYOOTA PARVA > CHAPTER 65 - “DESTRUCTION IS CONFIRMED FOR KURUS”

“Duryodhana said, ‘Come, Kshatta (Vidura), bring here Draupadi – the dear and loved wife of the Paandavaas. Let her sweep the chambers, force her to that place, and let the unfortunate one (Draupadi) stay where our serving-women are.’

“Vidura said, ‘Do you not know, O wretch (Manda in Sanskrit), that by uttering such harsh words you are tying yourself with cords? Do you not understand that you are hanging on the edge of a cliff? Do you not know that being a deer you provoke so many tigers to anger? Snakes of deadly poison, provoked to anger, are on your head! Wretch (Manda in Sanskrit), do not further provoke them to avoid the risk of you going to the region of Yama. In my judgement, servitude does not attach to Krishna (Draupadi), in as much as she was staked by the King (Yudhishthira) after he had lost himself and stopped to be his own master. Like the bamboo that bears fruit only when it is about to die, the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) wins this treasure at play. Intoxicated, he perceives not in these his last moments that dice bring about enmity and frightful terrors.

“No man should utter harsh words and pierce the hearts of the others. No man should subjugate his enemies by dice and such other foul means. No one should utter such words as are disapproved by the Vedas and lead to hell and annoy others. When, some one utters from his lips words that are harsh, stung by them another burns day and night. These words pierce the very heart of another. The learned, therefore, should never utter them, pointing them at others.

“A goat had once swallowed a hook, and when it was pierced with it, the hunter placing the head of the animal on the ground tore its throat frightfully in drawing it out. Therefore, O Duryodhana, do not swallow the wealth of the Paandavaas. Make them not your enemies. Paarthaas (Paandavaas) never use words such as these. It is only low men that are like dogs who use harsh words towards all classes of people – those that have retired to the forest, those leading domestic lives, Tapaswis and those that are of great learning (Samparipoornavidyam in Sanskrit). Alas! the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) does not know that dishonesty is one of the frightful doors of hell. Alas! many of the Kurus with Duhshaasana among them have followed him in the path of dishonesty in the matter of this play at dice. Gourds may sink, stones may float, boats also may always sink in water, but still this foolish king, the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana), listens not to my words that are as medicine to him. Without doubt, he (Duryodhana) will be the cause of the destruction of the Kurus. When the words of wisdom spoken by friends and which are as fit as medicine are not listened to, but on the other hand temptation is on the increase, a frightful and universal destruction is sure to overtake all the Kurus.’”