sabha Krishna said each one of them deserves to die for what they did to Panchali on the day of the game of dice. I except no one: not the elders, who sat by and watched what happened without stirring to stop it. All of them, save Vidura, deserve to die. Sanjaya, tell Karna that Arjuna has never forgotten what he said to Draupadi on that day. Tell him my cousin does not sleep at nights because he hears those words murmuring in his head, relentlessly.
Tell Dusasana, Bheema has not forgotten what he tried to do to the precious Panchali. Remind him of Bheema’s oath. Tell Dusasana that Draupadi has not yet tied her hair; she is waiting to wash it in his blood before she does. Tell Duryodhana that, awake and asleep, Bheema sees the thigh on which he dared call Panchali to sit. Ah, Sanjaya, you know everything that happened. I am surprised that you bring this message to us from your king. Go back and tell them Sahadeva has not forgotten the oath he swore to kill Shakuni. Every day he thinks of the smile on Shakuni’s face, when he told Yudhishtira across the dice-board, ‘You still have Draupadi to wager.’
Every morning, at his prayers, Nakula renews his oath to kill Uluka. I need say no more. Dhrit-arashtra has not sent you here because he truly wants peace or to give up his greed, but only because he is afraid. We want peace not because we are afraid, but because we do not want to see kshatriya kind destroyed by the war; because Yudhishtira still cares for the lives not only of his brothers, but of his cousins. That is a great difference, Sanjaya. I know Yudhishtira; he does not want to make widows of the Kauravas’ wives. But Duryodhana is full of darkness and obstinacy.
Go back to your king and say all this to him. Say I will come myself to Hastinapura, soon, to try to make them see reason. I do not think I will succeed, but I will surely come and try. In the meanwhile, tell Dhritarashtra he did not choose his words wisely when he sent his message through you. He does Yudhishtira an injustice; and if Duryodhana does not relent, this foolish message will be answered with arrows.
There are two trees in this generation of the Kuru House. One is a sinister tree that grows in Hastinapura, a tree of evil. Its name is Duryodhana. Its trunk is Karna, its branches are Shakuni, its flower is Dusasana and its deep roots from where it truly springs, is your blind king, with his secretive heart: cowardly, dangerous, cold-blooded Dhritarashtra.
Look here, at the other Kuru tree, fair and lustrous: a tree of dharma and wisdom called Yudhishtira. Arjuna is its trunk, Bheema its branches, Nakula and Sahadeva are its fruit and flowers.” Krishna smiled suddenly, “And I am the root of this tree of light. A storm will sweep the earth, a savage storm of war. Think carefully, Sanjaya, which of these trees shall withstand that storm?
Go now, you have reply enough from us to take back to your king. Tell him everything we said to you. Say the Pandavas wish fervently for peace and peace there will be if Yudhishtira’s kingdom is returned to him. Otherwise, there will be war and the war will be the end of the Kauravas.”
Sanjaya said sadly, “Yudhishtira, the message I brought was not my own, nor does it express what I feel. I am only my king’s voice, when I come as his messenger. I have known you and your brothers since you were boys and you know how fond I am of you. You must not think harshly of me and you must not either, Krishna. I have always wished the sons of Pandu well and I still do. Now give me a message for the king.”
Yudhishtira had regained his composure. Gently he said, “I did not mean to hurt you, Sanjaya, but I was stung by my uncle’s message. You have always loved us as much as Vidura has and I am aware of it. You were there on the day of the game of dice and I know you warned the king against what he did. Good Sanjaya, a golden bowl does not change to a base metal because poison is poured into it.
As for
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