INDIA. PART II.

appear before Raja Duryodhana, and humbly and submis- HISTORY OF sively entreat him to give you the half of the Raj, and there will then be no unwillingness or delay upon his side in acceding to your prayer: You come forward now in the name of uprightness; why then do you strive to excite a war by your own bad faith and breach of engagement, and talk as if we were the promise-breakers and unjust party? If you go to war with us you will surely have cause to repent.'"

ens that Arjuna

Karna.

Bhishma then replied to the words of Karna, as fol- Bhishma threatlows:-" On that day when you and the other warriors will conquer had driven off the cattle of Raja Viráta, and Arjuna came and defeated you, why did you not then give utterance to all these boastings? Let me, however, whisper in your ear that Arjuna is the same now as then, and if the quarrel breaks out again, Arjuna will trample down all your glory into the dust, and turn day into night in your eyes."

tries to appease

Karna, and de

clares in favour

of peace.

Here the blind Maháraja excused Karna to Bhishma, The Maháraja and said to Bhishma :-" Karna is as a son to you, and is Bhishma and very young, and does not understand all the niceties of expression; so be not offended with him." And the Maháraja turned to Karna, and said:"Bhísma is a most humane and friendly man, and all that he says is intended for our good and advantage: Why, then, do you revile Arjuna and the other Pándavas, and fall foul of Bhishma at every turn? As regards the propositions of peace which the Pandavas have offered, Bhishma looks upon them with a favourable eye, and I also am no less satisfied with them."

his The Maharaja and bassy to the

sends an em

Then the Maháraja, by and with the consent of Council, sent Sanjaya, who was both his Minister Charioteer, on an embassy to the Pándavas, accompanied by the family priest of Raja Drupada.

Pándavas.

foregoing tra

bassy of the

The foregoing tradition of the embassy of the Review of the Bráhman priest to Hastinápur seems to furnish some dition of the eminsight into the primitive forms of diplomacy which frily priest of were observed in patriarchal times. Although the question to be decided was one of peace or war, the preliminary courtesies were duly observed of inter

Kauravas.

INDIA.

PART II.

HISTORY OF changing inquiries respecting the health and wellbeing of the respective parties. The Envoy then requested permission to repeat the message as he had received it from those who had sent him; and this may have been a wise precaution, as it tended to avert from himself the wrath which might have fallen upon him as the utterer of hostile and opprobrious language. The quarrel between the patriarchal Bhishma and the upstart Karna is not very intelligible; but it subsequently found full expression at the election of a Commander-in-Chief at the breaking out of the great war. The reference to the thirteenth year seems to indicate that the Kauravas were of opinion that the Pándavas had not fulfilled the engagement into which they had entered at the gambling match. The point, however, was never settled, and therefore calls for no further remark.

3rd, Embassy of Sanjaya to the Pandavas.

Traditional account of the embassy.

Diplomatic

Sanjaya.

The third stage in the history of the negotiations now remains for consideration, namely, the embassy of Sanjaya, the Minister and Charioteer of the Maharaja, to the Pándavas. The proceedings of this embassy are highly significant. Sanjaya is evidently the type of an ancient diplomatist. His object was to induce the Pándavas to return to Hastinápur, without giving them any distinct pledge that their Raj would be restored to them. The history of his mission may be related as follows:

Now Sanjaya was the Charioteer and Minister of Maháraja Dhritarashtra, and he was almost without an equal in qualifications of understanding, and in knowledge, and in diplomacy, and he had everywhere very many friends and acquaintances. And the Maharaja said to Sanjaya :-" I hear that the Pándavas are in the Raj of Viráta: So go to them, and first salute

INDIA. PART II.

Message of the

Pandavas.

them all from us, and greet each one of them as my most HISTORY OF beloved son, and then deliver to them all our message as follows: Dhritarashtra and the elders of the Kauravas speak thus :-'You five brothers are of such good account Maharaja to the for your commendable qualities and amiable manners, that every friend and every enemy is alike loud in exalting you; and you have now tasted both the pains and the pleasures. of the world, and experienced the realities of evil, as well as those of good: It is our wish that all quarrels and discussions between kinsmen should cease, and that perfect peace should be established between the Kauravas and you; and however harsh Duryodhana, and Karna, and the younger Kauravas may appear to you, and however much they may display the pride and strength of youth, and seem to prefer the chances of war, yet if you will come before me I will settle peace between you: Except the vicious Duryodhana, and the narrow-minded Karna, no one on our side is at heart against the Pándavas.'"

the camp of the

is surprised at

their prepara

So Sanjaya and the Bráhman, who was family priest of Sanjaya reaches Raja Drupada, proceeded together to the city where the Pandavas, and Pándavas were dwelling; and when they arrived there they the greatness of found armies encamped upon the plains, and in the jungle, tions for war. and on the mountains, and on the banks of rivers, as numerous as the waves of the sea. And Sanjaya was stricken with wonder at beholding all this military pomp arrayed on

receive the am

Council.

the side of the Pándavas; and he went on to the Council The Pandavas house of Raja Yudhishthira, and paid his respects in due bassador in form. And Raja Yudhishthira and all the assembly rejoiced at the arrival of Sanjaya, and returned him all suitable compliments, and inquired after their friends and kinsmen; to which Sanjaya gave appropriate replies. Raja Yudhishthira then said to Sanjaya :-" Krishna, and Raja Viráta, and Raja Drupada, and other Rajas are here present, so do you now declare your message." Sanjaya then delivered the Sanjaya delivers message which had been intrusted to him by the Maháraja, and he also said :-" Among all people there is entire confidence in both the Kauravas and the Pándavas, and it is a shame to both that there should be any dissensions between

his message.

INDIA.

PART II.

HISTORY OF them, when all the world would rejoice to see them mutually serviceable to each other: Now that all the principal Rajas are gathered together, they should so act as to put an end to discord."

Reply of Yudhishthira:"We are anxious to avoid a war, but the

to Hastinapur

with mere offers of protection, without promising to restore

our share of the Raj."

Raja Yudhishthira then replied to the Envoy as follows:"Whosoever is wise will never give his consent to a war on Maharaja is try. any trivial grounds, nor suffer so many souls to be slain, ing to entrap us and the whole Raj thrown into confusion, without absolute necessity, especially when both parties are friends and kinsmen: But when peace cannot be attained, and war seems inevitable, it would be useless in us to humiliate ourselves to the dust for the sake of concord: We are disinclined to war, but it is out of sympathy for our own people; and because the Raj would be of little profit or comfort to us after the slaughter of our friends and kinsmen: He, however, who is intent upon a war of malice is always in a fever, and the fever burns stronger and stronger in his heart day by day, until he can feel no pleasure in the ordinary gratifications of the world: Now we know not what offence we have given to Karna, that he should ever be on the alert for our death and perdition, and ever be speaking evil of us to Duryodhana, and kindling a fire in his own mind against us: As for Dhritarashtra, we acknowledge him to be our Maháraja, and we know that he is kind and benevolent, and averse to doing evil and working mischief: But for the sake of humouring his son Duryodhana, and keeping on good terms with him, the Maharaja stoops to act deceitfully towards us, and would entrap us into his presence by mere offers of protection: Then, again, Vidura is the general well-wisher, and earnest for our good; but however much advice he may give, it is all thrown away, both upon Duryodhana and his doting father Dhritarashtra, though he speak the truth ever Reply of Krish- So clearly."

na:-" The Pandavas have been put to such

expenses in pre

paring for this

war, that they

have noalternative but to de

mand their half

share of the Raj."

Krishna then spoke thus to Sanjaya :-"I am equally desirous for the welfare of both the Kauravas and Pándavas ; but what can I do when the Maharaja prefers the immediate gratification of his son to all other considerations? Yudhishthira and his brethren have always expressed a desire

INDIA. PART II.

for a treaty of peace, but no such offer ever came from Dhri- HISTORY OF, taráshtra or the Kauravas; so this war which is inevitable is brought about by the Kauravas and not by the Pándavas : And whereas the Pándavas have very large armies collected in their behalf, and have no means of providing for them now that they are assembled, except by asking for half the Raj from the Kauravas, it is necessary that they should get possession of the country by peace or by war, according to the proverb that the hungry man will throw himself at the lion: And although the Kauravas have been guilty of the worst treachery against the Pándavas, and have offered the most abominable insults to Draupadí, nevertheless if they are now ashamed of what they have done, and are willing to make amends for the past, as yet it is not too late; and albeit the Pandavas are much estranged from them and wish to be revenged, yet they will not go from what I say: Go now and tell this to the Kauravas, and bid them prepare for that course which they prefer; for war if they are inclined to war, and for peace if they are inclined to peace."

sends public

tinápur.

Then the Envoy Sanjaya took his leave of Krishna, and Yudhishihira he went to Yudhishthira; and Yudhishthira said to him :-messages by Sanjaya to the Carry to the Kauravas all the message you have received elders at Hasfrom Krishna without any alteration; and salute my old tutors, Drona and Aswattháma, and remind them of old times; and go to the houses of Bhishma, Vidura, and the Maharaja, and pay them similar compliments; and go also to each one of my kinsmen and friends, and to each of the Rajas who have come to their assistance, and lifting the hand of obeisance to your head, kiss the feet of each one of them."

secret message

-"We will re

to the half share

store us our five

Yudhishthira then gave many rich and rare gifts to Yudhishthira's Sanjaya, both for himself and for the most worthy of his old to Duryodhana: friends; and when the Envoy was about to return, Yudhish- sign our claim thira took him aside, and whispered to him as follows:- if you will re"These are my last words, which you must tell Duryodhana, villages in to induce him to cast aside his evil opinions and to lean prastha." towards justice: We will give up to him the whole of the Raj, provided we may retain the five districts, which are our

Khandava