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19.JARASANDHA
Why should not a king rest satisfied with
his own kingdom? So, I shall give up this
desire to be an emperor. And really, the
title has no temptations for me. It is my
brothers who wish it. When you yourself
are afraid of Jarasandha what can we hope
to do?"
Bhima did not at all like this spirit of
cowardly contentment.
Bhima said: "Ambition is the noblest
virtue of a king. What is the good of being
strong if one does not know his own
strength? I cannot reconcile myself to live
a life of idle ease and contentment. He
who casts off indolence and properly
employs political means, can conquer
even those stronger than himself. Strength
reinforced by stratagem will surely do
much. What, indeed, cannot be
accomplished by a combination of my
physical strength, Krishna's wisdom and
Arjuna's dexterity? We can conquer
Jarasandha's might, if we three join and
set about it without doubts or fears."
Krishna interposed: "Jarasandha should
certainly be slain and fully deserves it. He
has unjustly cast eighty-six princes in
prison. He has planned to immolate a
hundred kings and is waiting to lay hold
of fourteen more. If Bhima and Arjuna
agree, I shall accompany them and
together we will slay that king by
stratagem and set free the imprisoned
princes. I like this suggestion."
Yudhishthira was not pleased with this
advice. He said: "This may really mean
sacrificing Bhima and Arjuna who are to
me as my two eyes, merely to gratify a
vain desire to be an emperor. I do not like
to send them on this dangerous errand. It
seems to me far better to give up the idea
altogether."
Arjuna said: "What is the use to us of an
existence without heroic deeds, born as
we are of an illustrious line? A Kshatriya
though endowed with all other good
qualities, will not become famous if he
does not exert himself.
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