Thus spoke Vaisampayana to Janamejaya. Sanjaya, urged by command, mounted his swift chariot and, drawn by fleet steeds, reached Hastinapura by dusk. Entering the royal palace, he approached the king, touched his feet in reverence, and with folded hands said, as you enjoined, I have met Dharmaraja. He stands revered, radiant with noble qualities, and he salutes you with due honor. He returned your respects to me, remembered all the kinsmen here, and enquired with care after your welfare, your wealth and glory, and the well being of your sons. The intent of my mission was fulfilled in form, yet the desired end was not attained. Against the counsels shaped by Dhritarashtra, he declared that Dharmaraja is venerable alike to foes and friends, for the honoring of an emissary is the ancient mark of cordial relations.
The king Dhritarashtra then asked, Is Dharmaraja safe, and are his brothers at ease. Are the king’s servants, friends, and ministers secure? He had sent Sanjaya to ensure that no enemy posture was invoked against Dharmaraja, and to learn whether his retinue was content. From this quarter, he sought an inward view. They replied, O King, by your grace they are at ease. Sanjaya altered the wording slightly, giving the sense that they yet remained within the jurisdiction of the blind king, a statement not untrue. Best of the Kuru line, Dhritarashtra, Dharmaraja, is not inclined to comforts. He delights in nonviolence, with purity of thought. The master design of Dhritarashtra was to dissuade Dharmaraja from war and kindle in him spiritual contentment. Sanjaya shaped his report in that direction.
Dharmaraja does not seek comfort in the pride of warriors. He abides by fate. He laid before you merits and demerits alike, yet you think in no way beyond the dictates of your sons. You place the fulfillment of your purposes upon Sakuni and Karna. Your course is not right, this is clear. One without a wife and children, wandering, may endure such arrogant and cruel deeds, but not one who lives with family and dignity. O King of the Kurus, there have been kings who begot sons bereft of righteousness, yet they restrained them, unlike you. When your sons walk the crooked path, you remain a mute spectator instead of correcting them. The people curse you and foretell your ruin, and I am pained by these accusations. Dussasana and Sakuni, seized by jealousy, make you dance to their tune. You move like a doll worked by their hands. Duryodhana manipulates you into unseemly acts. If the Pandavas are provoked and rise in challenge, your wealth and power will be cast to the ground, and the Kuru dynasty itself will be imperiled by Dharmaraja’s wrath.
Listen, Dhritarashtra. Our people take Dharmaraja’s forbearance for fear. It is as if Rama advances and the mountains tremble at his approach. Dharmaraja has restrained his brothers and bound them to his will. You have drawn pleasure from this restraint, yet the wildfire of their anger will not stop at the outskirts; it will reach your palace. At the time of the dice play, corruption crept in, and your silence burned them. Dharmaraja is like a tiger of a gentle aspect. Until the blame of the whole world rests upon you he will remain neutral. He will wait until you are crushed by reproach, and thereafter none can stay him. Dhritarashtra, I came in haste, my body aches, my mind is unsteady. Night has deepened. I shall go now and return in the morning, and before your sons and ministers, I will set forth the mission and its depths. Thus permitted, he departed.
Dhritarashtra then summoned Vidura, who sat near him. Sanjaya has gone to the Pandavas and returned, hurling words at me, and in the morning he wishes to speak of events before my sons. O Vidura, though pure thoughts should prevail, my mind is troubled since then. My body feels as though seated upon a pit of fire, and sleep will not come. Vidura replied, O Dhritarashtra, the weak who fall into the hands of the strong, those who have lost wealth, those who await a chance to seize what belongs to others, and those whose minds are filled with lustful desires, commonly suffer from sleeplessness. Of these causes, which has entered your heart? Do you desire to consume another’s wealth? Speak the true reason for your wakefulness. Dhritarashtra said, I am distressed because I know not what Dharmaraja has spoken. Make it clear to me and drive away my sorrow.
Vidura said, O best of kings, Dharmaraja is your kinsman, friend, soldier, minister, and protector. He is surrounded by peaceful thoughts, humble, wise, and of spotless conduct. Such a one will not utter falsehood. You and your son Duryodhana have afflicted them unjustly. Enough of this. Grant them their proper share of the kingdom. Your state is like that of a cat which has seized a large piece of flesh, it can neither eat it nor leave it. Though harsh, such a comparison is sometimes apt. You have placed governance in the hands of Duryodhana, Sakuni, Karna, and Dussasana. They cannot carry it to its end. I shall tell you why. True administrators possess essential qualities, knowledge of their limits, freedom from haste, and endurance. None of these are found in them. Dharmaraja, trusting you as a father abiding in righteousness, restrained himself, and you know this well.
Dhritarashtra said, Discover what befell during Sanjaya’s visit to Dharmaraja, judge what is good, and proceed accordingly. You know virtue and merit, advise me and lift this burden from my mind. Vidura said, O Dhritarashtra, it is better to live in a manner acceptable to the people. Be not jealous of another’s wealth. Live in harmony with all. Your ill repute springs from injustice done to the Pandavas, and this is the cause of your unrest. You sanctioned the dice play and faltered in righteous duty, thereby staining governance, and now you reap its fruit. Jealousy gnaws the mind like a termite, evil conduct bites like a serpent. Your jealousy filled the lives of the Pandavas with hardship. If Kauravas and Pandavas lived like milk and water together, both would be safe. Your selfish intent emboldened Duryodhana’s wickedness. You were meant to be guide and model to the people, yet every deed draws censure. These faults are self-wrought.
Vidura, the emblem of virtue, strove openly to correct the blind king, seeking to save the lineage and the realm. He declared that anger, pride, violent emotion, discontent, false ego, and the habit of leaving work unfinished are the marks of the bad. These are the inner enemies, and their conduct harms others. Duryodhana belongs to this class, the lowest in the code of conduct. King, wife, and kin should be honored with fair intent and made content. One who does not discern good from evil and acts unwisely invites disaster. Those ignorant of the right methods shun those who love them and pursue those who hate them. Awareness of another’s superiority in wealth, learning, or lineage humbles the weak-minded and brings reverence to the good. The arrow of the finest archer may strike or miss, but mastery of royal law destroys an enemy’s kingdom and his train.
A ruler, having taken the reins of governance, must unite with intellect and apply a threefold regard: friends, enemies, and neutrals, each governed by a different measure. He should know the fourfold policy: conciliation through speech, gifts and recompense, division by sowing dissension, and force by punishment or arms. He must command his senses and be skilled in the sixfold paths: alliance, open conflict, neutrality, coercion, seeking shelter, and the dual course. He must abandon seven vices: hunting, gambling, drinking, lustful indulgence, harsh speech, rash force, and waste of wealth. Dhritarashtra, eating alone of fine food, keeping awake while all sleep, undertaking great tasks without counsel, and wandering alone in forests are practices to be renounced. Good conduct is an ocean and truth its ship; whoever abides in them is unconquerable. Forgiveness is sometimes mistaken for weakness, yet upon reflection, it is the finest jewel, from which true beauty shines. Thus, every word spoken by Vidura sought to transform the king and avert calamity from society. These principles, sanctioned by ancient moral science and royal discipline, stand as a guide for all ages.
