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Mahabharata Udyoga Parva (Bhagwat Yana Parva) Chapter 91
Vaisampayana said, "With Pritha's leave and having walked round her, the chastiser of foes, Govinda, also called Sauri, went to Duryodhana's palace that was furnished with great wealth, adorned with beautiful seats, and was like unto the abode of Purandara himself. Unobstructed by the orderlies-in-waiting, that hero of great fame crossed three spacious yards in succession and then entered that mansion looking like a mass of clouds, high as the summit of a hill, and blazing forth in splendour. And he there beheld Dhritarashtra's son of mighty arms seated on his throne in the midst of a thousand kings and surrounded by all the Kurus. And he also beheld there Dussasana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, seated on their respective seats by the side of Duryodhana. And on that scion of Dasarha's race entering the court, Dhritarashtra's son of great fame rose up from his seat with his counsellors for honouring the slayer of Madhu. And Kesava then greeted Dhritarashtra's sons and all his counsellors as also all the kings that were present there, according to their respective ages. And Achyuta of Vrishni's race then took his seat on a beautiful seat made of gold and overlaid with carpet embroidered with gold. And the Kuru king then offered unto Janardana a cow, and honey and curds and water, and placed at his service palaces and mansions and the whole kingdom. And then the Kauravas, with all the kings there present, worshipped Govinda on his seat and resembling the sun himself in splendour. The worship being over, king Duryodhana invited him of Vrishni's race—that foremost of victors—to eat at his house. Kesava, however did not accept the invitation. The Kuru king Duryodhana seated in the midst of the Kurus, in a gentle voice but with deception lurking behind his words, eyeing Karna, and addressing Kesava, then said, 'Why, O Janardana, dost thou not accept the diverse kinds of viands and drinks, robes and beds that have all been prepared and kept ready for thee? Thou hast granted aid to both sides; thou art engaged in the good of both parties. Thou art again the foremost of Dhritarashtra's relations and much loved by him. Thou, O Govinda, also knowest fully, and all things in details, both religion and profit. I, therefore, desire to hear, O bearer of the discus and the mace, what the true reason is of this thy refusal.
Vaisampayana continued, "The high-souled Govinda, of eyes like lotus leaves, then raising his mighty (right) arm, and in a voice deep as that of the clouds, replied unto the king in excellent words fraught with reasons,—words that were clear, distinct, correctly pronounced, and without a single letter dropped, saying, 'Envoys, O king, eat and accept worship only after the success of their missions. Therefore, O Bharata, after my mission becomes successful, thou mayest entertain me and my attendants.' Thus answered, Dhritarashtra's son again said unto Janardana, 'It behoveth thee not, O Kesava, to behave towards us in this way.
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