शल्य पर्व — युधिष्ठिरले दुर्योधनलाई भर्त्सना गर्छन्

Sanjaya said After those three car-warriors had left that place the Pandavas arrived at that lake within which Duryodhana was taking rest.

Having arrived at the banks of the Dvaipayana lake, O best of Kuru's race, they saw that reservoir of waters enchanted by your son. Then Yudhishthira said to Vasudeva.

"Behold, the son of Dhritarashtra has enchanted these waters by his power of illusion. Having enchanted the waters, he lives within them. He entertains no fear of injury from man.

Having exercised his power of illusion he is now within the waters. By an act of deception, that deceiptful man has betaken to this refuge. He shall not however escape me alive.

Even if the holder of the thunderbolt himself helps him in battle, people, O Mahadeva, shall yet seen him killed today.”

Vasudeva said With your own power of illusion, O Bharata, destroy this illusion of Duryodhana who is an expert in it. One conversant with illusion should be killed with illusion. This indeed is the truth, O Yudhishthira.

By applying your power of illusion to these waters kill, O chief of the Bharatas, this Suyodhana who is the master of illusion.

By his illusory power Indra himself killed the Daityas and the Danavas. Vali himself was bound by that great one. viz., Upendra, with the aid of his illusory power.

The great Asura Hiranyaksha, as also that one, viz., Hiranyakashipu, was killed by the same power. Forsooth, O king, Vritra also was slain by the power of illusion.

Similarly was the Rakshasa Ravana of Pulastya's race, with his relatives and followers, killed by Rama. Relying upon your illusory power do you also display your prowess.

Those two highly energetic and ancient Daityas, viz., Taraka and Viprachitti were, in ancient time, O king, slain by the help of illusion.

Likewise Vatapi and Ilwala and Trishiras, O lord and the Asuras Sunda and Upasunda were all killed by the aid of illusion.

Indra himself enjoys heaven by the power of illusion. Action is very efficacious O king and nothing else is so, O Yudhishthira.

Daityas and Danavas and Rakshasas and king have been slain by the same. Do you, therefore, act.'

Sanjaya continued Thus addressed by Vasudeva, Pandu's son of rigid vows, smilingly addressed, O Monarch, your powerful son who, O Bharata, was then within the waters of that lake, saying.

"Why, O Suyodhana, have you charined these waters, after having caused all the Kshatriyas to die and after having, O king, brought about the extinction of your family?

Why have you entered into this lake today, with a view to save your own life? Arise, O king and fight us, O Suyodhana.

Where, O best of men, has your sense of honour now gone, since, ( king, you have exchanged these waters and are now lying within them?

All men describe you in assemblies as a hero. All that, however, is entirely false, I think, since you are now living concealed within these waters.

Arise, O king and fight, for you are a Kshatriya born in a noble family. You are a Kaurava. Remember your birth.

How do you boast of your birth in Kuru's family, when you have concealed yourself within the depths of this lake, having fled away from battle in fear?

This is no the duty of a Kshatriya. Flight from battle, O king, is not the practice of honourable men, nor it leads to heaven.

How is it that without having terminated this war, though you were filled with the desire of victory, you live now within this lake, after having brought about the destruction of your sons and brothers and sires and relatives and friends and maternal uncles and kinsmen.

Though always vaunting of your courage, you are however, not a hero. Falsely you describe yourself, O Bharata, before all men as a hero, O wicked wight.

They, that are heroes, never fly away from their foes. Or tell us, O hero, about the nature of that courage by which you have fled from battle.

Arise, O prince and fight fearlessly. Having caused all your troops and brothers to be killed O Suyodhana, you should not, if you are an honest man, think now of saving your life. A Kshatriya, O Suyodhana, like yourself, should not act in this way.

Relying upon Karna as also upon Shakuni the son of Şubala, you considered yourself immortal and could not understand your own self.

Having committed such a grievous iniquity fight now, O Bharata. How is it that you prefer flight from the field. Surely, you forget yourself.

Where is that manliness of yours, O sire and where, O Suyodhana, is that your pride? Where is your prowess and energy gone?

Where is that your mastery in weapons? Why do you live within this lake now? Arise, O Bharata and fight, following the duties of a Kshatriya.

Either govern the wide carth after defeating us or sleep, O Bharata, on the naked earth slain by us.

Even this is your highest duty, as laid down by the illustrious Creator himself. Act according to the injunctions of the scriptures and be a king, O great car-warrior.

Sanjaya continued Thus addressed, O king, by the intelligent son of Dharma, your son answered him from within the waters in these words.

Duryodhana said It is not at all surprising O king, that fear should possess the hearts of living creatures. As regards myself, however, O Bharata, I have not fled from the field of battle for the fear of life.

My car and quivers were destroyed and my Parshni drivers were slain. I was alone, without a single follower to help me in battle. It was for this that I wanted a little rest.

It was not for the sake of saving my life, it was not for fear, it was not from grief, O king, that I entered this lake. It was only out of fatigue that I did so.

Do you, O son of Kunti, take a little rest with your followers. Rising from this lake I will surely fight all of you in battle.

Yudhishthira said All of us have taken enough of rest. We searched you for a long while. Rise then now, O Suyodhana and give us battle.

Either killing the Parthas in battle make this prosperous kingdom your own or killed be us in battle go to the region reserved for heroes.

Duryodhana said The Kurus, O son of Kuru's race, for whose sake I desired sovereignty, those brothers of mine, O king, all lie dead on the field.

I do not like to enjoy and longer the Earth that does not contain wealth and best of Kshatriyas and that has accordingly become like a widow.

I, however, still hope to defeat you, O Yudhishthira, after checking the pride, O foremost of Bharata's race, of the Panchalas and the Pandus.

There is, however, no longer any need for battle when Drona and Karna have been killed and when our grandfather Bhishma has been slain.

This empty Earth, O king, is now intended for you. What king would like to rule a kingdom divested of friends and allies?

Having caused friends such as I had and even sons and brothers and sires, to be slain and seeing my kingdom possessed by you, who is there like myself that would like to live?

Clad in deer-skins I would enter into woods. I have no desire for kingdom, shorn as I am of friends and allies, O Bharata.

Deprived entirely of friends and allies, of horses and elephants, this Earth exists for you, O king. Do you enjoy her now cheerfully.

As for myself, clad in deer-skins, I shall go to the forest. Friendless, as I am, I have no desire, O king, for even life.

Go, O king and rule the Earth destitute of kings, warriors, wcalth and without citadels, as you like.

Sanjaya continued Hearing those words of piercing anguish, the illustrious Yudhishthira said to your son Duryodhana who was still within the lake, saying-

Do not utter such ravings of sorrow, O sire, from within the lake. I do not, like Shakuni, feel any pity for you, O king, for such words as these.

You may now, O Suyodhana, be willing to make a gift of Earth to me. I, however, do not wish to rule the Earth as a gift from you.

I cannot sinfully accept this Earth as a gift from you. Acceptance of a gift, O king, is not the duty of a Kshatriya.

I do not, therefore, wish to have the Earth as a gift from you. I shall, on the other hand, enjoy the Earth after defeating you in battle.

You are not now the lord of the Earth. Why then do you wish to make a gift of that over which you have no right? Why, O king, did you not then give us the Earth when we, observing the rules of honesty and desirous of the welfare of our family, begged you for our portion?

Having first refused the request of the great Krishna, who do you now desire to give away the Earth? What is this folly of yours?

What king is there who, attacked by foes, would like to give away his kingdom, O son of Kuru's race. You have not the power today to give away the Earth. Why then do you wish to make a gift of that over which you have no right?

Defeating me in battle, rule you this Earth. You did not formerly agree to give me even a portion of the Earth covered by the point of a needle. How then, O king, do you make me a gift of the whole Earth?

How is it that you, who could not formerly give up even that much of land which the point of a needle would cover, now wish to make over the entire Earth. What fool would, after having got such prosperity and governed the entire Earth, think of giving over that Earth to his focs.

Fool as you are, you do not see the impropriety of this! Although you wish to give away the Earth, you shall not yet escape me with life.

Either rule the Earth after having defeated us or go to the celestial regions after being slain by us.

If both of us, that is, yourself and myself, be alive, then all creatures will remain in doubt as to whom the victory belongs.

Your life, O indiscrect man, now depends upon me, If, I like, I can allow you to live, but you are not capable of saving your own life.

At one time you tried to burn us to death and to take our lives by means of snakes and other kinds of poison and by sinking us in water. We were also, O king, deprived by you of our kingdom. You spoke harsh words to us and maltreated Draupadi. For these reasons, O wretch, your life must be taken. Rise, rise and fight us. That will benefit you.

In this way, O king, those heroes, viz., the Pandavas, elated with victory, repeatedly spoke there.'