The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Sabha Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Sabha Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
widely known also in the world. For thy sake, O Duryodhana, that
terrible season of destruction is almost come. Do without loss of time,
what may be beneficial unto thee. Think not that everything hath been
accomplished by sending the Pandavas into exile. This thy happiness
will last for but a moment, even as in winter the shadow of the top of
the palm tree resteth (for a short time) at its base. Perform various
kinds of sacrifices, and enjoy, and give O Bharata, everything thou
likest. On the fourteenth year hence, a great calamity will overwhelm
thee.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these words of Drona, Dhritarashtra
said,--'O Kshatta, the preceptor hath uttered what is true. Go thou and
bring back the Pandavas. If they do not come back, let them go treated
with respect and affection. Let those my sons go with weapons, and
cars, and infantry, and enjoying every other good thing.'"
SECTION LXXX
Vaisampayana said,--"defeated at dice, after the Pandavas had gone to
the woods, Dhritarashtra, O king, was overcome with anxiety. And while
he was seated restless with anxiety and sighing in grief, Sanjaya
approaching him said, 'O lord of the earth having now obtained the
whole earth with all its wealth and sent away the sons of Pandu into
exile, why is it, O king, that thou grievest so?'
"Dhritarashtra said,--'What have they not to grieve for who will have
to encounter in battle those bulls among warriors--the sons of
Pandu--fighting on great cars and aided by allies?'
"Sanjaya said,--'O king, all this great hostility is inevitable on
account of thy mistaken action, and this will assuredly bring about the
wholesale destruction of the whole world. Forbidden by Bhishma, by
Drona, and by Vidura, thy wicked-minded and shameless son Duryodhana
sent his Suta messenger commanding him to bring into court the beloved
and virtuous wife of the Pandavas. The gods first deprive that man of
his reason unto whom they send defeat and disgrace. It is for this that
such a person seeth things in a strange light. When destruction is at
hand, evil appeareth as good unto the understanding polluted by sin,
and the man adhereth to it firmly. That which is improper appeareth as
proper, and that which is proper appeareth as improper unto the man
about to be overwhelmed by destruction, and evil and impropriety are
what he liketh. The time that bringeth on destruction doth not come
with upraised club and smash one's head. On the other hand the
peculiarity of such a time is that it maketh a man behold evil in good
and good in evil. The wretches have brought on themselves this
terrible, wholesale, and horrible destruction by dragging the helpless
princess of Panchala into the court. Who else than Duryodhana--that
false player of dice could bring into the assembly, with insults, the
daughter of Drupada, endued with beauty and intelligence, and
conversant with every rule of morality and duty, and sprung not from
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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