51. SANJAYA’S INTELLIGENCE TO DHRITARASHTRA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > INDRALOKA GAMANA PARVA > CHAPTER 51 - SANJAYA’S INTELLIGENCE TO DHRITARASHTRA

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘That bull among men – Dhritarashtra – the son of Ambika, having heard of this wonderful way of life – so above that of men – of Paandavaas, was filled with anxiety and grief. Overwhelmed with sadness, sighing heavily and hot, that monarch, addressing his charioteer Sanjaya, said, ‘O charioteer, I do not have a moment’s peace, either during the day or the night, thinking of the terrible misbehaviour of my sons arising out of their past gambling, and thinking also of the heroism, the patience, the high intelligence, the unbearable prowess, and the extraordinary love to one another of the Paandavaas. Among the Paandavaas, the illustrious Nakula and Sahadeva, of divine origin and equal to the chief of Devas Himself (Lord Indra) in splendour, are invincible in battle. They are firm in the wielding of weapons, capable of shooting at a long distance, determined in battle, of remarkable lightness of hand, of anger that is not easily quelled, possessed of great steadiness, and filled with activity. Possessed of the prowess of lions and unbearable as the Ashwins (Ashwini Devas) themselves, when they will come to the battlefield with Bhima and Arjuna in front, I see, O Sanjaya, that my soldiers will all be slain without a remain. Those mighty warriors of divine origin, unrivalled in battle by anybody, filled with anger at the remembrance of that insult to Draupadi, will show no forgiveness. The mighty warriors of the Vrishnis also, the Paanchaalaas of great energy, and Paarthaas (Paandavaas) themselves, led by Vaasudeva of unbaffled prowess, will blast my army. O charioteer, all the warriors on my side assembled together, are not competent to bear the momentum of the Vrishnis alone when commanded by (Bala)Rama and (Sri) Krishna. Amongst them will move that great warrior Bhima of terrible prowess, armed with his iron mace held on high and capable of slaying every hero. High above the uproard will be heard the twang of the Gaandeeva loud as the thunder of sky. The momentum of Bhima’s mace and the loud twang of the Gaandeeva are incapable of being stood against by any of the kings on my side. O Sanjaya, it is then that obedient, as I have been to the voice of Duryodhana, I shall have to call back the rejected counsels of my friends – counsels that I should have attended to in time.’

“Sanjaya said, ‘This has been your great fault, O king, viz., that though capable, you did not, from affection prevent your son from doing what he has done. Madhusoodana (Sri Krishna), that hero of unfading glory, hearing that the Paandavaas had been defeated at dice, soon went to the Kaamyaka forest and consoled them there. Draupadi’s sons also headed by Dhrishtadyumna, Viraataa, Dhrishtaketu, and those mighty warriors (Maharatha in Sanskrit), the Kekayas, all went there. All that was said by these warriors at the sight of Paandavaas defeated at dice, was learnt by me through our spies. I have also told you all, O king. When Madhusoodana (Sri Krishna) met Paandavaas, they requested him to become the charioteer of Phaalguna (Arjuna) in battle. Hari (Sri Krishna) Himself, thus requested, answered them, saying, ‘So be it.’ (Sri) Krishna Himself seeing Paarthaas dressed in deer skins, became filled with anger, and addressing Yudhishthira, said, ‘That prosperity which Paarthaas had acquired at Indraprasthaa, and which, unobtainable by other kings, was seen by me at the Raajasooya yagna, at which, besides, I saw all kings, those of Vanga, Anga, Paundra, Odra, Cholas, Dravidas and Andhakas, and the chiefs of many islands and countries on the sea-board as also of frontier states, including the rulers of the Sinhalas, Barbara, Mlecchas, the natives of Lanka, all the kings of the West by hundreds, all the chiefs of the sea-coast, the kings of the Pahlavas, Daradaa, the various tribes of the Kiraataas, Yavanaas, Chakaas, the Harahunas, Chinas, Tushaaras, the Saindhavas, the Jaagudaas, the Raamathaas, the Mundaas and the inhabitants of the kingdom of women, the Tanganaas, the Kekayas, the Malavaas, the inhabitants of Kaashmeera, afraid of the prowess of your weapons, present in obedience to your invitation, performing various offices,--that prosperity, O king (Yudhishthira), so unstable and waiting at present on the enemy, I shall restore to you, depriving your enemy of his very life.

“I shall, O Kaurava (Yudhishthira), assisted by (Bala)Rama, Bhima, Arjuna, the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), Akrura, Gada, Saamba, Pradyumna, Aahuka, the heroic Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Shishupaalaa, slay in battle in course of a day Duryodhana, Karna, Duhshaasana, Saubala (Shakuni) and all others who may fight against us. You shall, O Bharata, living at Haastinapura along with your brothers, and snatching from Dhritarashtra’s party the prosperity they are enjoying, rule this earth.’

“These, O king (Dhritarashtra), were (Sri) Krishna’s words to Yudhishthira, who, on the conclusion of (Sri) Krishna’s speech, addressed Him in that meeting of heroes and in the hearing of all those brave warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna, saying, ‘O Janaardana, I accept these words of Yours as truth. O You of mighty arms, You do, however, slay my enemies along with all their followers on the expiry of thirteen years.

“O Keshava (Sri Krishna), promise this truly to me. I promised in the presence of the king to live in the forest as I am now living.’ Accepting to these words of Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, his counsellors headed by Dhrishtadyumna soon pacified the angered Keshava (Sri Krishna) with sweet words and expressions suitable to the occasion. They also said to Draupadi of pure deeds in the hearing of Vaasudeva Himself, these words, ‘O lady, in consequence of your anger, Duryodhana shall lay down his life. We promise it, O you of the fairest complexion. Therefore, do not grieve any more. O Krishna (Draupadi), those that mocked you, seeing you won at dice, shall reap the fruit of their act. Beasts of prey and birds shall eat their flesh and mock them thus. Jackals and vultures will drink their blood. O Krishna (Draupadi), you shall see the bodies of those wretches that dragged you by the hair fallen on the earth, dragged and eaten by carnivorous animals. They also that gave you pain and disregarded you shall lie on the earth devoid of their heads, and the earth herself shall drink their blood.’ These and other speeches of various kinds were uttered there, O king (Dhritarashtra), by those bulls of the Bharata race. All of them are filled with energy, bravery, and marked with the marks of battle. On the expiration of the thirteenth year, those mighty warriors, chosen by Yudhishthira and headed by Vaasudeva, will come (to the field of battle). (Bala)Rama, (Sri) Krishna, Dhananjaya, Pradyumna, Saamba, Yuyudhana, Bhima, the sons of Madri, the Kekaya princes and the Paanchaalaa princes, accompanied by the king of Matsya, these all, illustrious and celebrated and invincible heroes, with their followers and troops, will come. Who is there that, desiring to live, will encounter these in battle, resembling angry lions of erect manes?’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘What Vidura told me at the time of the game at dice, ‘If you seek, O king, to vanquish the Paandavaas (at dice), then certainly a terrible blood-shed ending in the destruction of all the Kurus will be the result,’ I think it is about to be realised. As Vidura told me previously, without doubt a terrible battle will take place, as soon as the pledged period of the Paandavaas expires.’”