INDIA. PART IL HISTORY OF Own settlements: And we five brothers, for the sake of peace, will be content with this small portion, and will be on good terms with Duryodhana: The desire of my heart is that there should be no war, and that I and my brethren should live once more in peace and happiness together, and be reconciled to all our kinsmen; and that our relatives who have come here to assist us may go back uninjured: But I am prepared for both war and peace, and I can be either hostile or friendly, according as events may transpire." Sanjaya delivers his messages to sation through tween the Ma haraja and Vi dura. Council. at Sanjaya having been thus instructed by Yudhishthira the Maharaja. returned to the city of Hastinapur, and arrived at the palace of the Maharaja and made known his coming. And the Maharaja sent for him to a private apartment, and heard all that the Pandavas had said, and then dismissed him and Anxious conver- sent his door-keeper to call Vidura; and that whole night out the night be the Maharaja and Vidura passed in deep discourse by themselves upon the tidings brought by Sanjaya. And when it was morning the Maháraja summoned all his sons and kinssummoned to a men to Council, and despatched a messenger to bring Sandelivers his mes jaya, who thereupon entered the Council-hall and spoke as follows:-"Raja Yudhishthira sends respectful greeting to all the elders, and a friendly embrace to all the young men, and his blessing to the striplings and children." Sanjaya then delivered the message of Krishna, and the private message from Yudhishthira; and a great discussion arose in which the elders counselled peace and the younger men Agreement im- clamoured for war: and seeing that it was impossible that they could come to an agreement, no reply whatever was despatched to the Pándavas. which Sanjaya sages. possible. 4th, Mission of Krishna to the Kauravas. The fourth and final stage in the history of the negotiations now remains for consideration, namely, the mission of Krishna to Hastinápur. The whole of this portion of the narrative appears to be myth ' The names of the districts are given in the original, but it is difficult to say how far they are mythical. Probably they referred to five farms or gardens in the country of Khandava-prastha, but the name of one of these districts is Váranávata, which is the modern Allahabad; and the mythical character of the references to this city has already been shown in the story of the alleged plot of the Kauravas to burn the house in which the Pandavas were residing. INDIA. PART II. ical; but yet it possesses much historical value, inas- HISTORY OF much as it illustrates to a remarkable degree the spirit in which the Mahá Bhárata was composed, and the conception which the Brahmanical compilers had formed of Krishna, as a mediator as well as of an incarnation of the Supreme Being. The legend may be related as follows: mission. applies to counsel. go as ambassa pur. desire for peace. Remonstrances Now when many days had passed away, and the Pán- Legend of the davas received no reply to the messages they had sent by Sanjaya, Yudhishthira went to Krishna, and said :-" What Yudhishthira are we to do? I have solicited the Kauravas for peace, and Krishna for would have been content if they had spared us our five villages; but they have sent us no reply to our messages; and now I am in great want, and cannot relieve the distress of my mother and brethren." And Krishna said that he Krishna offers to would go himself on an embassy to the Maharaja, and dor to HastináYudhishthira entreated him to bring about a peace; but Yudhishthira's Draupadí came in and threw herself at the feet of Krishna and said :-" Yudhishthira has sent too many supplications of Draupadi. to the Kauravas, and has asked for only five villages, as though the right were on their side: But if you are to arbitrate between them, I pray you to remember that an arbitrator must not speak of inferiority; and if the Kauravas will make war upon the Pándavas, my five husbands, and my father and brethren, and many others, will enter the lists against them: Remember how the Kauravas treated me from the very first; how they seized me by the hair and dragged me to the ground, in the midst of the assembly." So saying, Draupadí burst into tears, and Krishna's heart Krishna commelted within him, and he kindly said to her:-"Why do you weep? The time has nearly come when the Kauravas will be slain, both small and great, and when their wives will weep as you are doing now." forts Draupadi. ceeds to Hastin After this Krishna selected a prosperous moment in the Krishna promonth Kartika for setting out on his mission to Hastinapur; ápur. and having bathed and worshipped the sun and fire, he went his way. And Yudhishthira and his brethren, and Rajas INDIA. PART II. sengers to an nounce his arrival. HISTORY OF Viráta and Drupada, and many others, accompanied Krishna some distance on his way; and when they took leave of him, Yudhishthira and his brethren especially entreated that he would comfort their mother, Kuntí, who was still residing in the house of Vidura. Krishna then proceeded on his journey, until he came to a spot nigh unto the city of Hastinapur; Sends on mes- and he halted there, and sent on messengers to announce his arrival to the Kauravas, and to say that he would be with Vidura counsels them on the morrow. When Vidura heard the words of he took them with him into the presence of the messengers, Duryodhana, and said:"In all the streets and marketplaces there is a great stir amongst high and low; all saying that Krishna is come hither on an embassy from the Pándavas: You ought therefore to assemble all your brethren and Chieftains, and go forth to meet him, so that you may conciliate him by your respect, and have the applause of all Great prepara- the people." Then Duryodhana called together all his Duryodhana to give Krishna a grand reception. tions com menced by Duryodhana. Vidura urges that the recep Chieftains and Ministers, and caused handsome carpets to be spread for Krishna to walk upon, and ordered all the handsomest of his servants to put on festival garments and to wait upon Krishna with sandal wood and perfumes; and he sent word to his father, the Maharaja, that Krishna was coming; and Dhritarashtra ordered that every mark of honour should be observed in the reception of such an illustrious guest. Then Duryodhana prepared to go out with all his brethren and children to meet Krishna on foot; and orders were proclaimed throughout the city that all the women of the inner apartments, who desired to see Krishna, should be permitted to behold him from the walls and tops of houses; and all the shopkeepers decorated their shops and put on festival garments; and the palace of Duhsúsana, which was the best in Hastinápur, was set apart for the lodging of Krishna. Then Vidura praised Duryodhana for the preparations which he had made to do honour to Krishna. And Vidura unless Duryod- said: "This magnificent reception however is of small tion is useless hana is pre pared to restore the five villages moment unless you are prepared to restore the five villages to the Pandavas." And Duryodhana replied:-" I will not to the Pandavas. INDIA. PART II. preparations Remonstrances of the Mahá give to the Pandavas as much land as could be carried on HISTORY OF the head of a pin, unless I am compelled by war; and if Krishna is only come to further the claim of the Pándavas, Duryodhana we need not throw away our effects for naught, but receive abandons his him as an ordinary ambassador; for otherwise he will say and proposes putting Krishthat the Kauravas are terrified and trying to propitiate me: na into custody. Moreover, if the Pándavas are thus dependent upon Krishna, let us keep him here in close custody; and by so doing clip the wings of our enemies." But the Maháraja cried out :— "Beware how you give way to such evil thoughts, for it raja. would be a lasting disgrace to any Raja to put an ambassador into custody, and especially an ambassador so illustrious as Krishna." And Bhishma turned to the Maharaja, and Wrath of Bhishsaid: "This son of yours appears to think of nothing but war and mischief; and I fear that his ruin is not far off, and that his disgrace will fall upon all of us." So saying Bhishma rose up and went to his own house; and Vidura was much disturbed, and he rose up in like manner and went out with Bhishma. ma. the city, and is the Kauravas Duryodhana. When it was morning Krishna bathed himself, and per- Krishna enters formed his religious duty, and then set out for the city of received by all Hastinapur. And when he came nigh to the city, all the excepting Kauravas, small and great, save Duryodhana only, went forth on foot to meet him; and all the men and women, young and old, came out of their apartments to see Krishna and pay him reverence. And Krishna spoke to every one with civility, and when he came to the palace of the Maháraja he sat down for a while; and presently Duryodhana Haughtiness of Duryodhana tocame up, and barely noticed Krishna, and Krishna knew wards Krishna. what was passing in the mind of Duryodhana from the haughtiness of his manner, and because of his not having been present with the others to meet him without the city. in the house of Kunti is dwell So after a while Krishna left the palace of the Maharaja and Krishna resides went to the house of Vidura; and Vidura made many parti- Vidura, where cular inquiries of him respecting the Pándavas; and when ing. Krishna had answered every question, he went into the inner apartments, and saw his father's sister Kuntí, and Affecting intertook her in his arms, whilst she burst into tears, for her Kunti. view with INDIA. PART II. HISTORY OF heart was yearning towards her sons the Pándavas. And Kuntí said: "It is now fourteen years since my sons left me bathed in tears, and I have heard of all the distresses they have gone through: Tell me now if all is well with them, and what has become of Draupadí; and how she has borne up under poverty and exile: And who shall tell of my own wretchedness, for from the time of my birth until this hour I have not passed a single day in comfort; and when I had hoped to get some solace from my sons, they have been driven away from jungle to jungle, and from village to village, whilst I have been left alone amongst this tribe of Kauravas, without any respite from their wickedness and Krishna com- obstinacy." Then Krishna comforted Kuntí, and he secretly said to her:-"Be of good cheer! Wherever your sons have been they have overthrown their enemies, and gained many friends; and the day of their prosperity is very near, when they shall overthrow the Kauravas, and recover possession of their own Raj." forts Kunti with the assurance that her sons will conquer. Krishna's visit to Duryodhana. When Krishna had comforted Kuntí, he went to the palace of Duryodhana, and it was very splendid, and contained everything that was conducive to luxury and pleasure. And Duryodhana was seated upon his throne in all the pride and wealth of a great Raja, and took but small notice Refuses to par- of Krishna. But a golden seat had been prepared for take of the entertainment prepared by Duryodhana. Krishna, and Duryodhana presently ordered a quantity of fruits and perfumes and much betel to be brought in; after which there was a great entertainment of victuals and liquors, but Krishna would not taste a single morsel. And Duryodhana asked him why he had no relish for such things, and Krishna answered:—“If a man enters the house of another, and partakes of his meal, there is either friendly discourse between the host and his guest, or else a needy guest is under the influence of his host: But there are no such relations between you and me; for I am on no terms of friendship with you, nor am I a needy guest who wants a meal." Duryodhana said :-" You may not be in want of a less Duryodhana feast, but why have you no friendship for me?" Krishna with the Panda replied :-" There can be no friendship between us unless Declares that there can be no friendship between them un comes to terms vas. |