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54.SANJAYA'S MISSION
Disregarding their father's
advice and their grandsire's wise words,
they are still as wicked as ever. But you
should not lose patience. Yudhishthira,
you stand ever for right conduct. Let us
eschew the great evil of war. Can
happiness be gained with possessions
obtained through war? What good can we
reap from a kingdom won after killing our
own relatives? Do not therefore
commence hostilities. Even if one were to
gain the whole earth bounded by the
ocean, old age and death are inescapable.
Duryodhana and his brothers are fools.
But that is no reason why you should
swerve from rectitude or lose patience.
Even if they do not give back your
kingdom, you should not abandon the
supreme path of dharma."
Yudhishthira answered: "Sanjaya, what
you say is true. Rectitude is the best of
possessions, but are we committing
wrong? Krishna knows the intricacies of
rectitude and dharma. He wishes both
sides well. I shall do as Vasudeva orders."
Krishna said: "I desire the welfare of the
Pandavas. I desire also that Dhritarashtra
and his sons should be happy. This is a
difficult matter. I think I can settle this
issue by myself going to Hastinapura. If I
could obtain peace from the Kauravas on
terms that do not conflict with the welfare
of all, nothing would make me and the
Pandavas happier. If I succeed in doing
so, the Kauravas will have been rescued
from the jaws of death. I shall also have
achieved something good and worthwhile.
Even if, through a peaceful settlement, the
Pandavas get back what is due to them,
they will still serve Dhritarashtra loyally.
They desire nothing else. But they are also
prepared for war if need be. Of these two
alternatives, peace and war, Dhritarashtra
can choose what he pleases."
And Yudhishthira said to Sanjaya:
"Sanjaya, go back to the Kaurava, court
and tell the son of Ambika this from me:
'Was it not through your generosity that
we obtained a share of the kingdom when
we were young? You, who made me a
king once, should not deny us our share
now and drive us to make a beggar's
living on the charity of others.
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