from within the sacred fire-chamber of Duryodhana, and asses from all directions began to bray in response.  Then Bhishma and Drona, and Kripa, and Somadatta and the high-souled Vahlika, all left the assembly.  It was then that at the advice of Vidura I addressed Krishna and said, ’I will grant thee boons, O Krishna, indeed, whatever thou wouldst ask?  The princess of the Panchala there begged of me the liberation of the Pandavas.  Out of my own motion I then set free the Pandavas, commanding them to return (to their capital) on their cars and with their bows and arrows.  It was then that Vidura told me, ’Even this will prove the destruction of the Bharata race, viz., this dragging of Krishna into the court.  This daughter of the King of Panchala is the faultless Sree herself.  Of celestial origin, she is the wedded wife of the Pandavas.  The wrathful sons of Pandu will never forgive this insult offered unto her.  Nor will the mighty bowmen of the Vrishni race, nor the mighty warriors amongst the Panchalas suffer this in silence.  Supported by Vasudeva of unbaffled prowess, Arjuna will assuredly come back, surrounded by the Panchala host.  And that mighty warrior amongst them, Bhimasena endued with surpassing strength, will also come back, whirling his mace like Yama himself with his club.  These kings will scarcely be able to bear the force of Bhima’s mace.  Therefore, O king, not hostility but peace for ever with the sons of Pandu is what seemeth to me to be the best.  The sons of Pandu are always stronger than the Kurus.  Thou knowest, O king, that the illustrious and mighty king Jarasandha was slain in battle by Bhima with his bare arms alone.  Therefore, O bull of the Bharata race, it behoveth thee to make peace with the sons of Pandu.  Without scruples of any kind, unite the two parties, O king.  And it thou actest in this way, thou art sure to obtain good luck, O king.  It was thus, O son of Gavalgani, that Vidura addressed me in words of both virtue and profit.  And I did not accept this counsel, moved by affection for my son.”

The End of Sabha Parva

FOOTNOTES

1.  A word of benediction, similar to ‘Amen.’

The Mahabharata

of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

BOOK 3

VANA PARVA

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by

Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[1883-1896]

Scanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003.  Proofed at Distributed Proofing, Juliet Sutherland, Project Manager.  Additional proofing and formatting at sacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare.

SECTION I

(Aranyaka Parva)

Om!  Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara the foremost of male beings, and the goddess Saraswati also, must the word Jaya be uttered.