The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 202

Section CCII. *( Viduragamana Parva continued. )* Vayampayana said, "The news was carried unto all the monarchs (who had come to the *Svayamvara* of Draupadi) by their trusted spies that the handsome Draupadi had been united in marriage with the sons of Pandu. And they were also informed that the illustrious hero who had bent the bow and shot the mark was none else than Arjuna, that foremost of victorious warriors and first of all wielders of the bow and arrow. And it became known that the mighty warrior who had dashed Shalya, the king of the Madras, on the ground, and who in wrath had terrified the assembled monarchs by means of the tree (he had uprooted), and who had taken his stand before all foes in perfect fearlessness, was none else than Bhima—that feller of hostile ranks, whose touch alone was sufficient to take the life out of all foes. And the monarchs, upon being informed that the Pandavas had assumed the guise of peaceful Brahmanas, wondered much. They had heard that Kunti with all her sons had been burnt to death in the conflagration of the house of lac. They, therefore, now regarded the Pandavas in the light of persons who had, after death, come back to life. And recollecting the cruel scheme contrived by Purochana, they began to say,—'O fie on Bhisma, fie on Dhrita-rashtra of the Kuru race!' "And after the Svayamvara was over, all the monarchs (who had come thither), hearing that Draupadi had been united with the Pandavas, set out for their own dominions. "And Duryodhana, hearing that Draupadi had elected Shweta-vāhana *(*Arjuna) as her lord, became greatly depressed. And accompanied by his brothers, Aswat-thama, his uncle (Sakuni), Karna, and Kripa, the prince set out with a heavy heart for his capital. Then Dush-shasana, blushing with shame, addressed his brother softly and said, 'If Arjuna had not disguised himself as a Brahmana, he could never have succeeded in obtaining Draupadi. It was for this disguise, O king, that no one could recognise him as Dhananjaya. Destiny, I ween, is supreme. Exertion is fruitless; fie on our exertions, O brother! The Pandavas are still alive!' Speaking unto one another thus and blaming Purochana (for his carelessness), they then entered the city of Hastinapore, with cheerless and sorrowful hearts. And beholding the mighty sons of Prithā, out of the burning house of lac and allied with Drupada, and thinking of Dhrishta-dyumna and Shikhandi and the other sons of Drupada all accomplished in fight, they were srtuck with fear and overcome with despair. "Then Vidura, having learnt that Draupadi had been won by the Pandavas and that the sons of Dhrita-rastra had come back (to Hastinapore) in shame—their pride humiliated, became filled with joy. And, O king, approaching Dhrita-rashtra, Kshatta said, 'The Kurus are prospering by good luck!' And hearing these words of Vidura, the son of Vichitra-virya (Dhrita-rashtra) wondering, said in great glee, 'What good luck, O Vidura? What good luck?' And from ignorance, the blind monarch understood that his eldest son Duryo-dhana had been elected by Drupada's daughter as her lord. And the king immediately ordered various ornaments to be made for Draupadi. And he commanded that both Draupadi and his son Duryodhana should be brought with pomp to Hastinapore. It was then that Vidura told the monarch that Draupadi had elected the Pandavas for her lords, and that those heroes were all alive and in peace, and that they had been received with great respect by king Drupada. And he also informed Dhrita-rashtra that the Pandavas, had been united with many relatives and friends of Drupada, each owning large armies, and with many others who had come into that Svayamvara. "Hearing these words of Vidura, Dhrita-rashtra said, 'Those children are to me, O Kshatta, as much as they are to Pandu. Nay more. O listen to me why my affection for them now is even greater! The heroic sons of Pandu are well and in peace. THey have obtained many friends. Their relatives, and others whom they have gained as allies, are all endued with great strength. Who, O Kshatta, amongst monarchs in prosperity or adversity, would not like to have Drupada with his relatives as ally?'" Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of the monarch, Vidura said, 'O king, let thy understanding remain so without change for a hundred years!' And having said this, Vidura returned to his own abode. Then, O monarch, there came unto Dhrita-rashtra, Duryodhana and the son of Rādhā (Karna). And addressing the monarch they said, 'We cannot, O king, speak of any transgression in the presence of Vidura! We have now found thee alone, and will, therefore, say all we like! What is this that thou hast, O monarch, desired to do? Dost thou regard the prosperity of thy foes as if it were thy own, that thou hadst been applauding the Pandavas, O thou foremost of men, in the presence of Vidura? O thou sinless one, thou actest not, O king, in the way thou shouldst! O father, we should now act every day in such a way as to weaken the strength of the Pandavas! The time hath come, O father, for us to take counsel together; so that the Pandavas may not swallow us all with out children and forces and friends and relatives!'" Thus ends the two hundred and second Section in the Vidurāgamana of the Adi Parva.