(Viduragamana Parva continued)
" said, 'After had concluded, spoke, saying, 'O king , it hath has been heard by us that friends summoned for consultation should always speak what is right, true, and conductive to fame. O sire, I am of the same mind in this matter with the illustrious . Let a share of the kingdom be given unto to the Pandavas. This is eternal virtue. Send, O Bharata, unto to without loss of time some messenger of agreeable speech, carrying with him a large treasure for the Pandavas. And let the man go unto to carrying costly presents for both the bridegrooms and the bride, and let him speak unto to that monarch of thy your increase of power and dignity arising from this new alliance with him. And, O monarch, let the man know also that both thyself and have become exceedingly glad in consequence of what hath has happened. Let him say this repeatedly unto to and . And let him speak also about the alliance as having been exceedingly proper, and agreeable unto to thee you, and of thyself being worthy of it. And let the man repeatedly propitiate the sons of and those of (in proper words). And at thy your command, O king, let plenty of ornaments of pure gold be given unto to . And let, O bull of Bharata's race, proper presents be given unto to all the sons of . Let the messenger then propose the return of the Pandavas to Hastinapura. After the heroes will have been permitted (by ), to come hither here, let and go out with a handsome train to receive them. And when they will have arrived at Hastinapura, let those foremost of men be received with affection by thee you. And let them then be installed on their paternal throne, agreeably to the wishes of the people of the realm. This, O monarch of Bharata's race, is what I think should be thy your behaviour towards the Pandavas who are to thee you even as thy your own sons.'
" continued, 'After had ceased, spake spoke again, 'Both and have been pampered with wealth that is thine yours and favours conferred by thee you! They are also always regarded by thee you as thy your trusted friends! What can therefore be more amusing than that they both should give thee you advice which is not for thy your good? How can the wise approve that advice which is pronounced good by a person speaking with wicked intent but taking care to conceal the wickedness of his heart? Indeed, in a season of distress, friends can neither benefit nor injure. Every one's happiness or the reverse dependeth depends on destiny. He that is wise and he that is foolish, he that is young (in years) and he that is old, he that hath has allies and he that hath has none, all become, it is seen everywhere, happy or unhappy at times. It hath has been heard by us that there was, of old, a king by name Amvuvicha. Having his capital at Rajagriha, he was the king of all the Magadha chiefs. He never attended to his affairs. All his exertion consisted in inhaling the air. All his affairs were in the hands of his minister. And his minister, named Mahakarni, became the supreme authority in the state. Regarding himself all powerful, he began to disregard the king. And the wretch himself appropriated everything belonging unto to the king, his queens and treasures and sovereignty. But the possession of all these, instead of satisfying his avarice, only served to inflame him the more. Having appropriated everything belonging to the king, he even coveted the throne. But it hath has been heard by us that with all his best endeavours he succeeded not in acquiring the kingdom of the monarch, his master, even though the latter was inattentive to business and content with only breathing the air. What else can be said, O king, than that monarch's sovereignty was dependent on destiny? If, therefore, O king, this kingdom be established in thee you by destiny, it will certainly continue in thee you, even if the whole world were to become thy your enemy! If, however, destiny hath has ordained otherwise, howsoever mayest may thou you strive, it will not last in thee you! O learned one, remembering all this, judge of the honesty or otherwise of thy your advisers. Ascertain also who amongst them are wicked and who have spoken wisely and well.'
" continued, 'Hearing these words of , replied, 'As thou you art wicked it is evident thou you sayest say so in consequence of the wickedness of thy your intent. It is for injuring the Pandavas that thou you findest find fault with us. But know, O , what I have said is for the good of all and the prosperity of the Kuru race. If thou you regardest regard all this as productive of evil, declare thyself what is for our good. If the good advice I have given be not followed, I think the Kurus will be exterminated in no time.'"
(Viduragamana Parva continued)
" said, 'After had ceased, spoke, saying, 'O monarch, thy your friends without doubt, are saying unto to thee you what is for thy your good. But as thou you art unwilling to listen to what they say, their words scarcely find a place in thy your ears. What that foremost one of Kuru's race, viz., , the , hath has said, is excellent and is for thy your good. But thou you dost do not listen to it. also hath has said much that is for thy your good which however , the , doth does not regard to be such. But, O king, reflecting hard I do not find any one who is better a friend to thee you than either of these two lions among men (viz., and ), or any one who excels either of them in wisdom. These two, old in years, in wisdom, and in learning, always regard thee you, O king, and the sons of with equal eyes. Without doubt, O king of Bharata's race, they are both, in virtue and truthfulness, not inferior to Rama, the son of Dasaratha, and Gaya. Never before did they give thee you any evil advice. Thou you also, O monarch, hast have never done them any injury. Why should, therefore, these tigers among men, who are ever truthful, give thee you wicked advice, especially when thou you hast have never injured them? Endued with wisdom these foremost of men, O king, will never give thee you counsels that are crooked. O scion of Kuru's rate, this is my firm conviction that these two, acquainted with all rules of morality, will never, tempted by wealth, utter anything betraying a spirit of partisanship. What they have said, O Bharata, I regard highly beneficial to thee you. Without doubt, O monarch, the Pandavas are thy your sons as much as and others are. Those ministers, therefore, that give thee you any counsel fraught with evil unto to the Pandavas, do not really look to thy your interests. If there is any partiality in thy your heart, O king, for thy your own children, they who by their counsel seek to bring it out, certainly do thee you no good. Therefore, O king, these illustrious persons endued with great splendour, have not I think, said anything that leadeth leads to evil. Thou you, however, dost do not understand it. What these bulls among men have said regarding the invincibility of the Pandavas is perfectly true. Think not otherwise of it, O tiger among men. Blest be thou you! Can the handsome , the son of , using the right and the left hand with equal activity, be vanquished in battle even by himself? Can the great of strong arms possessing the might of ten thousand elephants, be vanquished in battle by the immortals themselves? Who also that desireth desires to live can overcome in battle the twins (Nagula and ) like unto to the sons of himself, and well-skilled in fight? How too can the eldest one of the Pandavas in whom patience, mercy, forgiveness, truth, and prowess always live together, be vanquished? They who have Rama () as their ally, and () as their counsellor, and as their partisan, have already defeated everybody in war. They who have for their father-in-law, and 's sons--the heroic brothers, viz., and others of 's race for their brothers-in-law, are certainly invincible. Remembering this, O monarch, and knowing that their claim to the kingdom is even prior to thine yours, behave virtuously towards them. The stain of calumny is on thee you, O monarch, in consequence of that act of . Wash thyself of it now, by a kindly behaviour towards the Pandavas. This kindly behaviour of thine yours, O monarch, towards the Pandavas will be an act of great benefit to us, protecting the lives of us all that belong to Kuru's race, and leading to the growth of the whole Kshatriya order! We had formerly warred with king ; if we can now secure him as an ally, it will strengthen our party. The Dasarhas, O king, are numerous and strong. Know where is, all of them must be, and where is, there victory also must be! O king, who, unless cursed by the gods, would seek, to effect that by means of war which can be effected by conciliation? Hearing that the sons of are alive, the citizens and other subjects of the realm have become exceedingly glad and eager for beholding them. O monarch, act in a way that is agreeable to them. and and , the son of Suvala, are sinful, foolish and young; listen not to them. Possessed of every virtue thou you art I long ago told thee you, O monarch that for 's fault, the subjects of this kingdom would be exterminated.'"
(Viduragamana Parva continued)
" said, 'Hearing these various speeches, said, The learned , the , and the illustrious Rishi , and thyself also (O ), have said the truth and what also is most beneficial to me. Indeed, as those mighty car-warriors, the heroic sons of . are the children of , so are they, without doubt, my children according to the ordinance. And as my sons are entitled to this kingdom, so are the sons of certainly entitled to it. Therefore, hasten to bring hither here the Pandavas along with their mother, treating them with affectionate consideration. O thou you of Bharata's race, bring also of celestial beauty along with them. From sheer good fortune the sons of are alive; and from good fortune alone those mighty car-warriors have obtained the . It is from good fortune alone that our strength hath has increased, and it is from good fortune alone that hath has perished. O thou you of great splendour, it is from good fortune that my great grief hath has been killed!'
" continued, 'Then , at the command of , repaired, O Bharata, unto to and the Pandavas. And he repaired thither there carrying with him numerous jewels and various kinds of wealth for and the Pandavas and also. Arrived at 's abode, conversant with every rule of morality and deep in every science, properly accosted the monarch and waited upon him. received in proper form and they both enquired after each other's welfare. then saw there the Pandavas and . As soon as he saw them he embraced them from affection and enquired after their well being. The Pandavas also along with , in due order, worshipped of immeasurable intelligence. But , O king, in the name of repeatedly enquired with great affection after their welfare. He then gave, O monarch, unto to the Pandavas and and , and unto to and 's sons, the gems and various kinds of wealth that the Kauravas had sent through him. Possessed of immeasurable intelligence, the modest then, in the presence of the Pandavas and , addressed the well-behaved thus:
"With thy your ministers and sons, O monarch, listen to what I say. King , with ministers, sons, and friends, hath has with a joyous heart, O king, repeatedly enquired after thy your welfare. And, O monarch, he hath has been highly pleased with this alliance with thee you. So also, O king, of great wisdom, the , with all the Kurus, enquired after thy your welfare in every respect. also of great wisdom the son of and thy your dear friend, embracing thee you mentally, enquired of thy your happiness. And, O king of Panchalas, and all the Kurus, in consequence of this alliance with thee you regard themselves supremely blest. O , the establishment of this alliance with thee you hath has made them happier than if they had acquired a new kingdom. Knowing all this, O monarch, permit the Pandavas to re-visit their ancestral kingdom. The Kurus are exceedingly eager to behold the sons of . These bulls among men have been long absent (from their kingdom). They as well as must be very eager to behold their city. And all the Kuru ladies and the citizens and our subjects are eagerly waiting to behold the Panchala Princess. This, therefore, is my opinion, O monarch, that thou you shouldst should, without delay, permit the Pandavas to go thither there with their wife. And after the illustrious Pandavas, O king, will have received thy your permission to go thither there, I shall send information unto to by quick messengers. Then, O king, will the Pandavas set out with and .'"