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50. ARJUNA'S CHARIOTEER
HAVING sent Drupada's brahmana to
Hastinapura on the peace mission, the
Pandavas sent word, at the same time, to
the princes likely to favor their cause to
collect their forces and hold themselves in
readiness for war. To Dwaraka, Arjuna
went himself.
Having understood through his spies the
turn events were taking, Duryodhana too
did not remain idle. Learning that
Vasudeva (Krishna) was back in his home
city, he sped towards Dwaraka in his
chariot, as fast as his swiftest horses could
take him. The two of them, Arjuna and
Duryodhana, thus reached Dwaraka on the
same day.
Krishna was fast asleep. Because they
were his close relatives, Arjuna and
Duryodhana could go into his bedroom.
There they both waited for Krishna to
wake up. Duryodhana, who went in first,
seated himself on a decorated throne-chair
at the head of the bed, while Arjuna kept
standing at its foot with arms folded in
respectful posture.
When Mahadeva woke up, his eyes fell on
Arjuna who stood in front of him and he
gave him warm welcome. Turning then to
Duryodhana, he welcomed him too and
asked them what brought them both to
Dwaraka. Duryodhana was the first to
speak.
"It looks," said he, "as though war would
break out between us soon. If it does, you
must support me. Arjuna and I are equally
beloved of you. We both claim equally
close relationship with you. You cannot
say that either of us is nearer to you than
the other. I came here before Arjuna.
Tradition has it that he who came first
should be shown preference. Janardana,
you are the greatest among the great; so it
is incumbent on you to set an example to
others. Confirm with your conduct the
traditional dharma and remember that it
was I who came first."
To which Purushottama (Krishna)
answered: "Son of Dhritarashtra, it may be
that you came here first, but it was Kunti's
son that I saw immediately on waking up.
If you were the first arrival, it was Arjuna
who first caught my eye. So, even in this
respect, your claims on me are equal and I
am therefore bound to render assistance to
both sides. In distributing favors, the
traditional usage is to begin with the
junior-most among the recipients. I would,
therefore, offer the choice to Arjuna first.
The Narayana, my tribesmen, are my
equals in battle and constitute a host, large
and almost invincible. In my distribution
of assistance, they will be on one side, and
I individually on the other. But I shall
wield no weapon and take no part in
actual fighting."
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