Section CXXIX Bhagavat-Yana Parva
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of Krishna, king Dhritarashtra lost no time in addressing Vidura, who was conversant with all dictates of virtue.
And the king said,
'Go, O child, unto Gandhari, possessed of great wisdom and foresight and bring her hither. With her I will solicit this wicked-hearted (son of mine). If she can pacify this wicked wretch, of evil heart, we may yet be able to act according to the words of our friend Krishna. It may be that speaking words in recommendation of peace, she may yet succeed in pointing out the right path to this fool, afflicted by avarice and having wicked allies, If she can dispel this great and dreadful calamity (about to be) occasioned by Duryodhana, it will then conduce to the attainment and preservation of happiness and peace for ever and ever.'
Hearing these words of the king, Vidura, at Dhritarashtra’s command, brought (thither) Gandhari, possessed of great foresight.
And Dhritarashtra then addressed Gandhari and said,
'Behold, O Gandhari, this your son of wicked soul, transgressing all my commands, is about to sacrifice both sovereignty and life in consequence of his lust for sovereignty. Of wicked soul and little understanding, he has, like one of uncultivated mind, left the court, with his sinful counsellors, disregarding his superiors and setting at naught the words of his well-wishers.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of her husband, that princess of great fame, Gandhari, desirous of what was highly beneficial, said these words,
'Bring hither, without loss of time, that kingdom-coveting, sick son of mine. He that is of uncultivated heart and sacrifices both virtue and profit, does not deserve to govern a kingdom. For all that, however, Duryodhana, who is destitute of humility has, by every means, obtained a kingdom. Indeed, O Dhritarashtra, you so fond of your son, art very much to be blamed for this, for knowing well his sinfulness, you followest yet his counsel. That son of thine, completely possessed by lust and wrath is now the slave of delusion, and is, therefore, incapable, O king, of being now forcibly turned back by you. You are now reaping the fruit, O Dhritarashtra, of having made over the kingdom to an ignorant fool of wicked soul, possessed by avarice and having wicked counsellors.
Why is the king indifferent (today) to that disunion, which is about to take place between persons related so closely? Indeed, beholding you disunited with those that are your own, your enemies will laugh at you. Who is there that would use force for getting over that calamity, O king, which can be overcome by conciliation and gift?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Kshattri then, and at Dhritarashtra’s command, and of his mother’s also, once more caused vindictive Duryodhana to enter the court. Expectant of his mother’s words, the prince re-entered the court, with eyes red as copper from wrath, and breathing heavily as a snake. And beholding her son, who was treading in a wrong path, enter the court, Gandhari rebuked him severely and said these words for bringing about peace.'
"Gandhari said,
'O Duryodhana, attend, O dear son, to these words of mine that are beneficial to you as also to all your followers,—words that you are competent to obey and that will conduce to your happiness. O Duryodhana, obey you the words of your well-wishers, those words, viz., which that best of the Bharatas—your father—and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Kshattri, have spoken. If you makest peace, you wouldst by that render homage to Bhishma, to your father, to me, and to all your well-wishers with Drona at their head. O you of great wisdom, nobody, O best of the Bharatas, succeeds by his own desire alone in acquiring and keeping or enjoying a kingdom. One that has not his senses under control, cannot enjoy sovereignty for any length of time. He that has his soul under control and is endued with great intelligence, can rule a kingdom. Lust and wrath wean away a man from his possessions and enjoyments. Conquering these foes first, a king brings the earth under his subjection. Sovereignty over men is a great thing.
Those that are of wicked souls may easily desire to win a kingdom, but they are not competent to retain a kingdom (when won). He that desires to obtain extensive empire must bind his senses to both profit and virtue, for if the senses are restrained, intelligence increases, like fire that increases when fed with fuel. If not controlled, these can even slay their possessor, like unbroken and furious horses, capable of killing an unskilful driver. One that seeks to conquer his counsellors without conquering his own self, and to conquer foes without conquering his counsellors, is soon vanquished himself and is ruined. He who conquers his own self first, taking it for a foe, will not seek in vain to conquer his counsellors and enemies afterwards.
Prosperity worships greatly that person who has conquered his senses and his counsellors, who inflicts punishments on transgressors, who acts after deliberation, and who is possessed of wisdom. Lust and wrath that dwell in the body are deprived of their strength by wisdom, like a couple of fishes ensnared in a net with close holes. Those two in consequence of which the gods shut the gates of heaven against one, who freed from worldly propensities is desirous of going thither, are excited by lust and wrath.
That king who knows well how to conquer lust and wrath and avarice and boastfulness and pride, can own the sovereignty of the whole earth. That king who is desirous of gaining wealth and virtue and vanquishing his enemies, should always be engaged in controlling his passions. Influenced by lust, or from wrath, he that behaves deceitfully towards his own kinsmen or others, can never win many allies.
Uniting thyself with those chastisers of foes—the heroic sons of Pandu—who are all endued with great wisdom, you canst, O son, enjoy the earth in happiness. What Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and that mighty car-warrior, Drona, have told you is, O son, quite true,—Krishna and Dhananjaya are invincible. Seek you, therefore, the protection of this mighty-armed one, this one that is not worried by exertion, for if Kesava becomes gracious, both sides will be happy. That min, who is not obedient to the wishes of wise and learned friends, always seeking his prosperity, only gladdens his enemies. O son, there is no good in battle, no virtue, no profit. How can it bring happiness then? Even victory is not always certain. Do not set your heart, therefore, on battle. O you of great wisdom, Bhishma and your father and Vahlika (formerly) gave unto the Pandavas their share (of the kingdom) from fear. O chastiser of foes, never think of disunion with them. You behold today the fruit of that (peaceful) cession in the fact of your sovereignty over the whole earth, with all its thorns removed by those heroes. Give, O chastiser of foes, unto the son of Pandu what is their due. If you wishest to enjoy, with the counsellors even half (the empire), let their share then be given unto them.
Half the earth is sufficient to yield the means of support unto you and your counsellors. By acting according to the words of your well-wishers, you will, O Bharata, win great fame. A quarrel with the sons of Pandu who are all endued with prosperity, who have their souls under complete control, who are possessed of great intelligence and have conquered their passions, will only divest you of your great prosperity. Dispelling the wrath of all your well-wishers, rule you your kingdom as becomes you, giving, O bull of Bharata’s race, unto the sons of Pandu the share that belongs to them. O son, persecution of the sons of Pandu for full thirteen years has been enough. Augmented by lust and wrath, quench (that fire) now, O you of great wisdom. You that covetest the wealth of the Pandavas are not a match for them, nor this Suta’s son, who is exceedingly wrathful, nor this your brother Dussasana. Indeed, when Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Karna and Bhimasena and Dhananjaya and Dhrishtadyumna will be enraged, the population of the earth will be exterminated.
Under the influence of wrath, do not, O son, exterminate the Kurus. Let not the wide earth be destroyed for your sake. Of little understanding as you are, you think that Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, all others will fight (for you) with all their might. That will never happen, for as regards these, that are endued with self-knowledge, their affection towards the Pandavas and yourselves is equal. If for the sake of the sustenance they have obtained from the king (Dhritarashtra), they consent to yield up their very lives, they will not yet be able to cast angry glances upon king Yudhishthira. It is never seen in this world that men acquire wealth by avarice. Give up your avarice then, O son, and desist, O bull of Bharat’s race.'"
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