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49.TAKING COUNSEL
Balarama then rose to address the
gathering. "You have just heard Krishna,"
he said. "The solution he propounds is
wise and just. I endorse it as good for both
Duryodhana and Dharmaputra. If Kunti's
sons can get back their kingdom by a
peaceful settlement, nothing could be
better for them, the Kauravas and for all
concerned. Only then will there be
happiness and peace in the land. Someone
has to go to convey to Duryodhana
Yudhishthira's wish for a peaceful
settlement and bring an answer from him,
a man who has the weight and the ability
to bring about peace and good
understanding. The envoy should get the
cooperation of Bhishma, Dhritarashtra,
Drona and Vidura, Kripa and Aswatthama
and even of Karna and Sakuni if possible,
and secure support for Kunti's sons. He
should be one who, on no account, would
give way to anger. Dharmaputra, with full
knowledge of consequences, staked his
kingdom and lost it, obstinately
disregarding the reasoning of friends.
Fully aware that he was no match for the
adept Sakuni, he yet played against him.
He cannot now complain but can only
supplicate for his rights. A fit envoy
would be one who is not a warmonger but
is dead set, in spite of every difficulty, on
achieving a peaceful settlement. Princes, I
desire you to approach Duryodhana
tactfully and make peace with him. Let us
avoid an armed conflict by all the means
in our power. Only that which accrues in
peace is worth while. Out of war, nothing
but wrong can issue."
Balarama's position was that Yudhishthira
knew what he was doing when he
gambled away his kingdom and could not
now claim it as of right.
The fulfilment of the conditions of exile
could only give the Pandavas their
personal freedom and not their kingdom,
that is to say, they need not serve another
term of exile in the forest. But it gave
them no right to the return of their
kingdom.
Dharmaputra could only supplicate for the
return of what he had lost and not claim it
as of right.
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