The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"'Shalya said, "Do not, O Suta's son, give away to any man a golden car
with six bulls of elephantine proportions. Thou wilt obtain a sight of
Dhananjaya today. From foolishness thou art giving away wealth as if thou
wert the Lord of treasures. Without any trouble, however, O son of Radha,
thou wilt behold Dhananjaya today. Thou art for giving away this wealth
like a senseless person; but thou seest not the demerits attaching to
those gifts that are made to undeserving persons. With that large wealth
which thou art desirous of giving away, thou art certainly able to
perform many sacrifices. Therefore, O Suta's son, do thou perform those
sacrifices. As regards thy desire, entertained from folly, that is surely
vain. We have never heard of a couple of lions having been overthrown by
a fox. Thou seekest what should never be sought by thee. It seems that
thou hast no friends for forbidding thee that art speedily falling into a
blazing fire. Thou art unable to discriminate between what thou shouldst
do and what thou shouldst not. Without doubt thy period is full. What man
desirous of living would utter speeches that are so incoherent and
undeserving of being listened to? This thy endeavour is like that of a
person desirous of crossing the ocean by the aid of only his two arms
after having attached to his neck a heavy stone, or of one desirous of
leaping down from the summit of a mountain. If thou art desirous of
winning what is for thy good, fight with Dhananjaya, well protected from
within thy arrayed division, and aided by all thy warriors. I say this to
thee for the good of Dhritarashtra's son and not from any ill will to
thee. If thou hast any wish for preserving thy life then accept the words
spoken by me.'"
"'Karna said, "Relying on the might of my own arms I seek Arjuna in
battle. Thou, however, that art a foe with the face of a friend desirest
to frighten me. No person shall deter me from this resolution, not even
Indra himself uplifting his thunder; what then need be said of a mortal?"'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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