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93.THE PANDAVAS REPROACHED
Krishna's words did not change
Balarama's opinion, but his anger
subsided. "Duryodhana will attain the
happy regions reserved for the brave.
Bhima's fame has been tarnished for all
time. It will be said among men that the
son of Pandu broke the laws of war in
attacking Duryodhana. It will remain
forever a great blot on his good name. I
hate to stay here any longer." So saying
the indignant Balarama immediately left
for Dwaraka.
"Yudhishthira, why this strange silence?"
asked Krishna.
"O Madhava, it hurts me to see Bhima
leap on cousin Duryodhana's mortally
wounded body and trample on his head. I
see the end of the glory of our race. We
were wronged by the Kauravas. I know
the full measure of grief and anger in
Vrikodara's heart, and don't wish to blame
him beyond reason. We have killed
Duryodhana, who was afflicted by
uncontained greed and poverty of
understanding. What serves it now to
debate the ethics of it or nicely to weigh
the propriety of a much wronged man's
revenges?"
Yudhishthira was greatly oppressed in
mind. When men transgress the law,
extenuations and excuses are of no avail
in giving mental satisfaction.
Arjuna, of penetrating intellect, was silent.
He did not show approval of Bhima's act.
Nor did he say anything by way of
detraction. The rest of the people, who
were there, were however loud in
condemnation of Duryodhana and were
reminding one another of all his misdeeds
and errors. Krishna turned towards them
and said:
"Warriors, it is not proper that we go on
speaking against an enemy who has been
defeated and is lying mortally wounded.
We should not speak ill of a dying man.
He was stupid and brought about his own
end. He fell into the company of bad men
and was ruined. Let us go."
Duryodhana, who was stretched on the
ground in intense, agony, when he heard
Krishna say this, went into a paroxysm of
rage. He half raised himself on his arms in
spite of the excruciating pain, and
exclaimed:
"Wretch! Son of a slave! Was not your
father Vasudeva Kamsa's slave? You have
no business to sit or move with princes.
You speak like a shameless wretch. I saw
you instigate Bhima to aim his blow at my
thigh!
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