INDIA. PART II. house of Vidura, other invita you come to terms with the Pándavas : Besides, an ambas- HISTORY OF sador may not take a meal in the house of him to whom he is sent, unless he has completed his business to his own satisfaction: Moreover, it seems to me that you must have some bad motive in insisting upon my taking food here; so I am resolved to eat nothing in your house, but to go to the house of Vidura, and there take what I think best." So Returns to the saying, Krishna arose and went to the house of Vidura, and declines all followed by Bhíshma, Drona, Kripa, and many others, who tions. severally requested him to come to their houses, saying: "Since you have left the house of Duryodhana, you can have no objection to come to us." But Krishna excused himself, saying:-"If I visit any one of you, another may be offended, and I am satisfied with all of you; so it will be better that I go at once to the house of Vidura." And Krishna did as he had said, and Vidura entertained him with all due respect and honour. tions to Krish tinápur. And Vidura said to Krishna :-"You should not have Vidura's objec troubled to come to Hastinapur: Duryodhana is ever proud na's visit to Hasand obstinate, but now his arrogance will be at the highest pitch at the thought that Krishna has come to wait upon him; and he is a man of that haughtiness that he cannot conceive that any one should pretend to advise him, but considers that all he says should pass for law which no man should dispute." Krishna replied::- "What you say is Krishna's exvery true, but I desired to see with my own eyes, and I hoped that the tie of relationship would have enabled me to preserve the Kauravas from destruction: I am convinced now that their downfall is at hand, yet I will once more give my advice in the presence of them all in Council, and then if they will listen to me it will be well, but if they are deaf to my words, they must take their own course." planations. to Krishna by the people of Hastinapur. The next morning when Krishna had bathed, and wor- Reverence paid shipped the sun, all the Bráhmans and eulogists that were in the city of Hastinapur came to his door with blessings and praises, and he rewarded them all with handsome gifts. Presently all the Chieftains in the city came to wait upon him, and last of all came Duryodhana, Karna, and Sakuni. PART II. Krishna pro ceeds to the great Council of HISTORY OF Krishna then called for his own chariot, and proceeded to INDIA. the Council hall of the Maháraja; and Duryodhana, and Sakuni, and all the other Chieftains, proceeded in like manner to the hall. And the Maharaja and Bhishma had the Kauravas. already taken their seats in the hall, but they advanced a considerable distance to give Krishna a meeting. And His reception by Krishna, and Dhritarashtra, and Bhíshma, and Duryodhana the Maharaja seated themselves upon carpets of gold, which had been specially prepared for them in the centre of the hall; and all the other Chieftains took their seats upon the ground around them according to their respective ranks and stations. and Bhishma Nárada and the Rishis appear in provided with seats in the Council. Meanwhile, Nárada the sage, and many other Bráhman the sky and are sages, made their appearance in the sky; and Krishna said to Bhishma :-" Behold the Rishis are appearing in the sky, and have come to attend this Council." And Bhishma arose with all respect, and invited the Rishis to enter; and when Nárada and the rest entered the Council, all who were present arose and paid them reverence, and gave them seats which were suited to their dignity." Speech of Krishna to the Maháraja:-"I have come to re davas with the Kauravas. Bhárata have been just hitherto, but Then Krishna arose on his feet, and addressed Maháraja Dhritarashtra before the whole Council, as follows:-"I concile the Pan- have come hither, O Maháraja, for the purpose of bringing about a reconciliation between the Pándavas and the Kauravas, and thus saving the lives of very many heroes "The house of who are sure to be slain if a war break out: The family of Bhárata has ever been famous for mercy, sincerity, forgivehave committed ness, and truth; and it would be an evil thing should they commit an act of injustice whilst you are Maháraja: But your sons, since you have been their head and ruler, have been guilty of wicked deeds before your very face: they are covetous, unruly, and vicious, and break every law of morality and religion; and now they are about to commit a "A terrible war great crime against their nearest kinsmen: You are, I the Kauravas great wicked ness. is inevitable unless you prevent it. 2 These mythical sages subsequently interrupt the proceedings by relating interminable myths tending to prove that Duryodhana ought to yield what is demanded of him, because Krishna and Arjuna were in reality Nárá and Nárayan, or, in other words, were incarnations of Vishnu. INDIA. PART II. tion would give of the Pandavas and render you invincible. believe, aware that a terrible war is about to break out in HISTORY OF your family; and should you give your sanction to that war it will destroy the whole earth; whereas you can prevent it if you please, and I think it will not be difficult to settle all matters of dispute between the parties: Let your sons act in accordance with the advice of your own Council, and you will find it will be productive of good to both parties: Cast "A reconciliaaside all thought of gaining anything by war and enmity, you the support and exert yourself to conclude a treaty of reconciliation and peace; for you could never conquer the Pándavas were you a hundred times more powerful than you are: O Maháraja, you have the Kauravas for your supporters, and if you pleased you might bring over the Pándavas also; and once protected by the Pándavas, not even Indra and all his host of gods could prove a match for you; and the Rajas who are now your equals, and those who are now your superiors, would be anxious to cultivate your friendship, and you would rule the whole earth, in company with your sons and grandsons and all your kinsmen; and all the conquests of the Pandavas would be yours: O Maháraja, war is all destroying! "A war would Consider whether the loss of either will be the more hurtful structive to all to you, and whether the defeat of either your sons or your nephews will give you any pleasure, since both are alike in your eyes: All the Pándavas are great heroes, and well armed; and all, with the exception of thevirtuous Yudhishthira, are eager for war; they are your kinsmen, and it is your duty to protect them from every evil; then do not permit this family war, in which the Pándavas and the Kauravas will mutually kill each other, and in which nearly all the Rajas of the earth will be fighting on one side or the other, and the number of the slain will be fearful to behold: O Maháraja, it is your duty to preserve your subjects; then do not hasten their death by giving your countenance to this war, but save alike the Kauravas and the Pándavas from this imminent peril: Let the Rajas here "Let the Kauassembled cast aside their enmity to the Pándavas, and eat their enmity and drink together, and depart as friends; and do you now great feast in show the same kindness to the Pándavas as you did in reconciliation." prove most de parties. ravas cast aside and celebrate a honour of their HISTORY OF former times: The Pándavas lost their father in their in INDIA. PART II. Krishna ad dresses the mouth-piece of who pray for a restoration of their share of the Raj. fancy, and you brought them up as your own sons; then do you cherish them now, and not make a sacrifice of virtue by rejecting this counsel. "What I have hitherto said to you has been of my own Maharaja as the accord, but as the mouth-piece of the Pándavas I now speak the Pandavas, to you thus :-'We, the Pándavas, greet you, and look upon you as our father, and now in like manner do you regard us as your sons: In obedience to your command we have passed twelve miserable years in the wilderness and one year in disguise; and all the Bráhmans in your Court know that we have faithfully passed through the ordeal, and stand now freed from all our promises: O Maharaja, do you now so act that we may regain the share of the Raj to which we are entitled: It is for you to decide whether it is us, or the Kauravas, who are in the wrong.'" Speech of Krishna to the ally:-"A Min ble for the acts and counsellors are bound to prevent the Maháraja from doing wrong." Krishna then turned to the whole Council, and said:"To the Rajas and Chieftains here assembled, I am directed ister is responsi- by the Pándavas to speak as follows:-'It is an evil thing of the Maharaja, that an act of injustice should be committed by a Maháraja, who is assisted by such virtuous Counsellors and Ministers: A Minister is responsible for the acts of the Maháraja; and it is the duty of all good and wise Counsellors to prevent the Maharaja from performing any vicious deed: Never fear speaking the truth even if unpalatable, and never fear offending the Maharaja by telling him that he is in the wrong: Do you now advise him what course he should pursue on the present occasion.'" Krishna's final request to the Maharaja. Krishna then turned to the Maharaja, and said :- "6 Maharaja, I as an Ambassador can say no more: I have done my duty by asking you for the share of the Raj to which the Pandavas are entitled, and by counselling you to conclude a treaty: Let your Counsellors advise you upon the matter, and if you consider my advice to be just and virtuous, do you act accordingly, and save all these Rajas and Chieftains here assembled from the grasp of death: O Chief of the race of Bhárata, be pacified and do not give way to wrath! Give the Pándavas their ancestral share of INDIA. PART II. the Raj, and rule the remainder in peace and tranquillity HISTORY OF with your sons and grandsons: As for the Pándavas they are equally prepared, whether it be for peace or whether it be for war." When Krishna had finished, the Maharaja replied to Reply of the Maharaja that him, as follows:-"All that you have said is true and pleasKrishna had better counsel ant to hear; but I am not free, and consequently I cannot Duryodhana. perform what I wish: Seek therefore to counsel Duryodhana rather than me; for he is violent and disobedient, and refuses to listen to the advice of his mother Gándhárí, or to the pious Vidura, or to the wise Bhíshma; and if you can move my wicked son, you will be acting like a friend, and I shall be greatly obliged to you." na to Duryod Bhishma, Then Krishna turned to Duryodhana, and gave the same Advice of Krishcounsel to him as he had given to the Maháraja. But Dur- hana. yodhana was obstinate and said nothing, and Bhishma spoke to him thus:-"O Duryodhana, do you follow the advice of Krishna; it will be good for you both in this world and in the next, and if you act otherwise there will be no peace, strong remonbut all-destroying war: You are wicked, vicious, cowardly, strances of and the pest of the family of Kauravas: You glory in violating the commands of your father, and in despising the counsels of Krishna and Vidura: It is on account of your tyrannical conduct that your father suffers so much misery, and is about to lose his Raj: Your pride will cost the lives of all your friends, brethren, and kinsmen: But be advised, my child, and do not make your parents wretched for ever." Duryodhana. of Drona. When Duryodhana heard these words of Bhishma, he Exasperation of was exceedingly wroth, and began to breathe very hard; and Drona went up to him, and said:— "All that Krishna Remonstrances and Bhishma have said to you is for your own good, and I pray you to follow their counsel, for they are wise, intelligent, experienced, and virtuous: Indeed all who dissuade you from this war are your true friends, and those who counsel you to it are your worst enemies, who will most assuredly forsake you in the hour of peril, and leave you to bear the whole brunt of the contest: But I perceive that |