Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/356

342 "Duryyodhana replied, 'What thou sayest, O father, is perfectly true. But in view of the evil that is looming on the future as regards thyself, if we conciliate the people with wealth and honours, they would assuredly side with us for these proofs of our power. The treasury and the ministers of state, O king. are as this moment under our control. Therefore, it behoveth thee now to banish, by some gentle means, the Pandavas to the town of Varanavata O king, when the sovereignty shall have been vested in me. then, O Bharata, may Kunti with her children come back from that place.

"Dhritarashtra replied, 'This, O Duryyodhana, is the very thought existing in my mind. But from its sinfulness I have never given expression to it. Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Khatri, nor Gautama (Kripa) will never sanction the exile of the Pandavas. In their eyes, O dear son, amongst the Kurus, ourselves and the Pandavas are equal. Those wise and virtubus persons will make no difference between us. If, therefore, we behave so towards the Pandavas, shall we not, O son, deserve death at the hands of Kurus, of these illustrious personages, and of the whole world?

Duryyodhana answered, -'Bhishma hath no excess of affection for either side, and will, therefore, be natural (in case of dispute). The son of Drona (Aswatthaman) is on my side. There is no doubt that where the son is, there the father will be. The Kripa, the son of Saradwat, must be on the side on which Drona and Aswatthaman are. He will never abandon Drona and his sister's son (Aswatthaman). Khatri (Vidura) is dependent on us for his means of life, though he is secretly with the foe. If he sides the Pandavas, he alone can do us to injury. Therefore, exile thou the Pandavas to Varanavata without any fear. And take such steps that they may go thither this very day. But this act. O father, extinguish the grief that consumeth me like a blazing fire, that robbeth me of sleep, and that pierced my heart even like a terrible dart !'

Thus ends the hundred and forty-fourth section in the Jatugriha Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, "Then Prince Duryyodhana along with his brothers began to gradually win over the people to his side by gcants of wealth and honours. Meanwhile, some clever councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra, one day began to describe (in court) the town of the