118 2(27)47-48 The Dicing

gold and mostly built of Ivory, In many diferent shapes, with

golden
decorations, which were harncssed wlth well-trained horses In
30 tigerskin housings, cushlons of all klnds, thousands of gems, Iron
arrows and half-iron shafts and varlous kinds
of Javelins were the
tribute thut the king of the Fast pald when he enlered the
terraln of the
sacrificdal
great-splrited PFdava.
Duryodhana said:
48.1 LIsten to me as Tdescribe the manifold tribute that
the kings paid
the sacrificc, a mighty mass of
to
riches. The kings who live by the
river Sailodä between Mount Meru and
Mount Mandara and enjoy
the pleasing shade of bamboo and cane, the Khasas.
Eksanas.
Jyohas, Pradarus, DirghaveFus., Pa[upas. Kunindas, 1anganas, and
.Further Tanganas, they brought the
gold called Pipllaka. which is
granted as a boon by the ptpilaka ants, and they
5 bucketsful and piles. The mighty mountain men lctchedbrought it by
as their
trbute yak-tail plumes. black and spotted
and white, and still others
gleaming like the moon: also much sweet honcy from Himlayan
lowers, and perfume with water that was
brought down from the
Northern Kurus; besldes powcrlul herbs from the
and yet more: and they stood there
northern Kailäsa,
bowing at the gate of
Ajata[atru, and they were denied admisslon. Thc mountainKing who
live beyond the Himälaya on Sunrise kings
Mountatn, on the bank of the
Väri_enä and by the Lohitya, eaters of frutts and roots and clad in
hides, brought loads of sandalwood and aloewood and
10 plles of htdes, gems. gold, and perfumes, and agallochum,
'
a myrlad
from the mountains, cxotlc birds and antmals that
slave girls
pets. and many-splendored gold that had been collected be kept
werc to us
from the
mountalns-all this tribute they brought and stood at the
admission. gate. denled
Kayavyas, Daradas, Därvas, Sürus, Valyamakas. Audumbaras.
Durvibhagas. Pradas, Bählikas. Käsnlras, Kundamânas. Paurakas.
Hamsakyanas. Slbis. Trigartas, Yaudheyas, Madra and Kekaya
burons, Amba_thas, Kaukuras,
Tärk_yas. Vastrapas. Pahlavas.
Vasatis. Mauleyas. K_udrakas. and Mälavas,
15 Sakas. O lord of the people. Angas. Saundikas. Kukkuras.
Vangas. PuFdras. Sänavatyas.
Gayas, Sujätis, SreFlmats, all grand and sword-wlelding barons,
brought wealth by the hundreds for Ajäta[atru. The Vangas and the
Kalinga chieftalns, the Tmraliptas and
raiment Pundrakas brought duküla
from the Kausikl River, and silk and
cloaks.
gatekeepers told them at the king's behcst, "If you Thercupon the
g0od tribute, you will galn entrance." bring revenue anda
So they
cloth-dccked elephants with pole-long tusks, gave gold-caparisoncd.
lotus-dotted towering
120)
 The Diring 119

like mountalns. always rutting, whieh hailed from Løke

Kâmyaka
cach gave a thousend tuskers covered with armor. patlent and well-
20
bred; then they entered through the gute.
These and many other hosts assembled from all the hortzons; and
other great-splrlted princes offered preclous things therc. The
Gandharva ktng Cttraratha, a frlend of Tndra. gave four hundred
wind-fast stecds. Tumbura the Gundharva happlly gave a hundred
horses the color of mango leuves. which were harnessed In gold.
Krtin. the ktng of the Sukarus, 0 lord Kauravya, gave many hundred
25 prize elephants. Viräa the Matsya by wuy of trtbute offered two
thousnd gold-caparisoncd rutting elcphants. King Vasudna from
the domain of Päm[u gavc the PäFdavas in full tribute
twenty-six
elephants and two thousand horses in golden harness, O king. of
great spced and vigor, and the right age. Yajñasena prescnted
fourteen thousand serving glrls and ten thousand malc slaves with
wives. lord of the people, and twenty-slx elephant-pulled chariols.
great king: and he offcred the Pärthas his cntire kingdom for the
30 sacrlice. The Simhalas offcred thec cholcest gifts of the sca, beryls and
pearls and conches, and hundrcds of elephant housings. Clad In robes
embroldered with gems, swarthy, with copper-red cye corners, the
men who brought the gifts stood at the
gate and were denied
admisslon.
Brahmins in a spirit of love. barons because
they were deícated
commoners and serfs becausce they were obedient
brought gifts, and
out of affection and respect all the barbarians, of all
classes, high.
niddle, and low-born, walted on Yudhi_thlra. At
all the world scemed to be
Yudhi_thira's palace
encompassed with the varicty of races that
had come from a varlety of countries.
Now that 1 have seen all the
many and manifold gifts that the
kings sent to my enermics. my suflertng makes me
35 Let me tell you of the yearn for death.
Pändava's dependents, to whom Yudhi_thira
provides raw and cooked food. A myriad, a
his elephant drivers and riders, a triple lotus count, number
monstrous number of charlots and
numerous foot soldiers! Here the food is
there cooked, there doled out, and measured out, there dressed,
the Blesstng of the
clsewhere again rise the sounds of
Day. I have not seen one there who was not
not happy, not
wcll-rewarded with alms among all the classes atfcd,
Yudhi_thira's establishment. There are
householders, each with thirty serving elghty-eight thousand snätaka
Supports. Happy, completely contented, wenches, whom Yudhl_thira
40 ol his they hope for the destruction
enemies. Another ten thousand cellbate asceties eat
from golden
platters at Yudhi_thira's establishment. Yajnasena s daughter does
Draapaa.

The Deina 121

 2(27)48-50) The ictng
120

seen to it that evcry

one. down to the
not eat until she has
enten and is Alled.
hunchbacks and dwarfs, has
7here two who have not
are paid tribute to Kunt>'s son. Bhârata.
the P'añcâla king becausc of
the marriage alltancc, the Andhaka-
Vrspis because of frtcndship.

Duryodhana satl:
in thetr vows.
49.1 The Aryan kings. true to thelr covenants. grcat
sullicient in their knowledgc, cxpounders of the Veda. cleansed In the
concluding bath of the Upanl_ads, Imperturbable, restraBned by their
modesty, law-spirited and famous, kings themselves whose heads have
becn anointed, watit on him!1 saw cverywhere wild cows that had
been brought by the kings for the stlpends of the priests. with brass
all due
mllktng buckets. in many herds of thousands. The kings. with
honor and acting of their ovwn accord. Ictehed religiously all manncr
of Unction. Bh rata.
trcasure for his
It was Bahllka who fetched the chartot that was tmlaid with gold.
and Sudaksina yoked it with white Afghan horses. Glorlous Sunitha
hís own
brought the pccrless axle tree: the king of the Cedis, acting ofthe
standard polc. The ruler of
accord. fetched the
qutckly ready
Deccan brought the armor: the Magadhan the garland and the
turban; the great archer Vasudäna thc statc clcphant of sixty years
Avanti
The Matsya fitted the axles. Ekalavya fitted on the sandals. the
king brought the various waters for the Unction. Cckitäna presented
the quiver. 1he king gold-hilted sword
of the Kaais the bow. Salya the
10and gold-threaded bandoleer. Dhaumya and Vyäsa of immense
austerities did the anointing, while giving precedence to Närada and
Asita Devala. the hermit.
The great seers attended the Unctlon with pleasure. Othcrs. steepcd
n the Veda, came with Râma Jämadagnya: uttering spells. to the
great-spirited klng of thc generous stipends, as in heaven the Seven
Seers come to the great Indra. the king of the Cods. Sätyak) of proven
valor held up the klng's umbrella, and Dhanarnjaya and Bhimasena
Pandava the two fans. The Vâruna conch shell, whlch. In a prevlous
8ge. Prajapati had presented to Indra, the tublike Ocean now letched
15 for him. The sling had been well made by Visvakarman out of a
housand gold pleces ; and wlth thls conch shell Krsna anointed h i
At thls my heurt sank. They went to the eastern ocean and the
western one, and also to the southern one, but they do not go to the
northern ocean. sather, except the blrds. Thcy blew conch shclls by
the bundreds for good auspices, and as theey were blown they roared
but, and my halrs brlstled. The klngs fell prostrute. deprlved of thelr
vigor. Dhrtadyumna, the PâFduvas, Sätyuki. and, In the elghth place
 TIhe Decig

Krsna kept their mettle and. gifted with heroic might and mutually
friendly. leughed aloud when thcy saw the kings and me uncon«clous.
20 Thereupon the TerrifRier. cxhilarated. presented the principal brahmins
wth fve hundred bullocks with gold-plated horns.
Nat Sambara's slayer, nor Yauvanáava, nor Manu, nor King Prthu
Vainya. nor Bhagiratha was cver so surpasslngly endowed with superb
fortunc as the King Kaunteya, when he. likc King Harlkcandra, thus
attained to the Royal Consecration. Having wltnessed thts fortune at
the Pärtha's
boots
as at Hari[candra's. my lord, how can you see that
ineto live.Bhrata? Llke yoke tled by bllnd man all
a a
comc loosc. O king: thc junior branch prospers, the senior one decays.
has
Bharata
25 And having this I find no shelter.
seen
Wherever I look, most heroic of Kurus.
And thus my flesh has wasted away
And my body is pale and dircly aggrleved.

Dhrtarä_tra said:
50.1 You arce the cldest. and the son of my eldest wifc. son: do not hare
the Pändavas! A hater takcs on as much grief as there is in dcath.
Why should one like you. bull of the Bharatas. envy a Yudhistlhira, a
simple man who has the same goals as you, thc same fricnds. and
d o e s not hate you? Why do you. my son, a prince, a bull of the_
Bharatas. his equal in birth and prowess. covet your brother's fortune
out of perplcxity? Don't be that way! You mus calm yourself! (Orif
you covet that sacrificlal glory. bull of the Bharatas. have your priests
sprcad a Sevenfold Sesslon In a grand ceremony1 Surcly thc klngs wl1
bring you. too. vast wealth. gems. and ornamcnts, îrom affection as
well as respcct. Son. coveling
another's property leads to no good. Be
content with what you have, stay with
your own Law-that way lies
happiness(An unconcern for the riches of others. a constunt enterprise
Nn onc's own tasks. an effort to protect one's own: that detincs
bwnership)If hc refuses to grieve in ttmcs of trouble, the capable man
always on thc rise, alert and sclf-disclplined, always fînds the good
things. Givlng rlches at the altar, enjoylng the Joys you want. and
playing healthily with the women, be at peace, bull of the Bharatast
Duryodhana said:
10 You know. yet you confuse mel Boat rlgged to unother boat! Have
you no attention for your own cuusc? Do you hate me? Do l own the
Dhärtarästras of whom you are the gulde? You always say you have
somefuture matter to take care ofl Ifa gulde, seduced by hts encnny.
gets confused about whut path to take, how cun his followers follow
 2127)50-51 The Dlcln
122

his path? King. your wisdom is replete. you obey the Anclents, you
have mastered your senses. yet you utterly conluse us, who are intent
on our tasks.

Brhaspati has sald that the way of kings differs from the way of the
world, and that therefore the king should endevvor always to think
15 of his own profit. The baron's way. great king, is to be devoted to
victory: let It be Law or long as it is
Unlaw, bull of the Bheratas. as
his way!A driver drives out to all the horlzons with his whip, bullIof
the Bharatas. wishing to make an attempt on his adversary's fortunef
To those who know the sword. the sword means the entire encmy-
harassing enterprise, open and concealed, which reduces the enemy,
not just the sword that cuts.
Discontent is the root of fortune. That Is why I want to be
discontented. Only he who rceches for the helghts, king, Is the
ultimate polittctan. Should we not pursue selfish ways when we have
power or are rich? Others take away what one hadearned before
20 For they know that that is the Law of the kings. Sakra made a
covenant not to fight: then he cut off Namuci's head. And that to him
was the hoary way with a foe. As a snake eats up mice. so earth
eats up these two: a king who does not contend. a brahmin who
does not travel. No one. lord of the people, is born anyone's cnemy:
he is the enemy. and no one else, whose ways are the same as his
own. If one watches in his folly the rise of hls enemy's side. the other
will cut his root, like a swelling discase. An enemy. however tiny.
whose might grows on and on destroys one as surely as an anthBu
destroys. thc tree by whosc foot it has grown.
25 Ajamidha! Bhärata! Don't let the enemy's luck please you! It is a
burden. this policy that the vlgorous carry on thelir heads. If a man
cxpects that his riches will grow Just as he himself has grown îrom
birth, does he prosper with hls kin? Power means instant
As long as 1 fall to recover the growtht
power from the PâFdavas I shall be In
danger. For I shall get that fortune, or be killed on the battletlcld: for
why should I now care to live, if I do not cqual him? The PäFdavas
improve day by day, but our fortunes stand still.

Sakuni satd:
51.1 That fortune whlch you havc been grleving alter
over
at Pandu's son Yudhi_thlra's, I shall you saw t
be take it from him, let the enemy
challenged! I shall take no risk, nor flght a battle in front of
armles: 1 shall throw the dice and,
fools Re sure whole of body and wise, deftaf the
 The Dictng 123

Duryodhana said:
This expert gambler stands ready, king. to take their fortune from
the sons of PäFdu In a game. Father. it should please youl
Dhrtarä_tra said:
submit to my brother's behest, the behest ofthe great-sptritcd
Vidura. 1 shall meet with him and ind out the truth of the matter.
Duryodhana sald:
Vidura will cut down your resolve. no doubtof that. Kaurava! He
is less devoted to my cause than to that of the PäFdavas. No man
should undertake hls own task on another's authority. No
hevethe same mind on any point of duty. Joy of Kuru! The fool who
two people
avoids risks and protects himself shrtvels where he stands Iike a straw
mat in the rainy season. Neither diseases nor death wait for
recovery:
recuperate
ry Dhrtarstra
to as long as there Is time!
said:
10 Yet. son. I do not want to fight with pcople who are stronger.
Enmity, as sure a weapon as though it were iron. makes matters
worse.

A disaster you deem a profit, prince.

This horrlble knotting togcthcr of feuds.
Once it starts, in whatsocver a fashion,
It will let loose the swords and the arrows.

Duryodhana said:
The Ancients bequeathed us the rules of thc
geme.
There is no evil tn it, nor blows.
Approve of Sakunt's plan today,
And order at once a hall to be bullt!
we gamble. the heavenly gate wll be nearer:
It is proper for us to engage in the
game.
We two wll stand on an equal looting:
Approve of our playing the PâFdavas.
Dhrtarastra said:
The word thou speakest I do not lhke.
But be done as it
pleases thee, king of men.
Thou shalt suffer hereafter,
For no such word shall
recalling your word,
15 prosper the lawful.
Twas Vidura who foresaw it all,
in days long past, with his wisdom and
The great dunger that slays the sced of spirit.
t loons the barons.
now for man, who is
powerless.
 2(27)51 -52 The Dicing
124

Vaisampayana satid:
So he spoke, King Dhrtar _tra the wisc.
ineluctable late.
As he deemed it high
to obey his son,
His servants he ordered
fate-smitten in mind.
And the king remained

of a thousand pillars with beryls and gold,

Of a hundred gates with crystalline arches,
Let them swiftly build a hall sublime
A cry-length deep and a cry-length wlde!"
Having heard him the eraftsmen tarried not
But artfully, cleverly bullt t fast.
And they fetched at his orders all manner of things
To the meeting hall, by the thousands of them.
Then. ittle time past, they announced to the king
With full confidence that the meeting hall stood.
Enticing and colorful. gem-encrusted.
seats.
And furnished with bcautiful golden
20 Thereupon did the wise king of men Dhrtarä_tra
To Vidura, first of his councillors, speak:
"Pray. go to Yudhi_thira, son of a king.
And at my behest bring him qulckly here.
come and sece
"Saying, "Thou and thy brethrcn must
The beautiful gen-studded hall I have built,
seats:
Appointed with precious stoncs. beds, and
We shall have there a famnlly dicing gamc."

his son's mind, the king of men Dhrtar_tra. dccming it

(Knowing fArst of the wise. at
high ineluctable fate. did as he desired. Vidura,
brothcr's word and said
this improper address did not approve of his
to him.
"I do not wclcome this errand, king.
Do not do it! T fear for the ruin of our line!
When brothers are split. a quarrel is sure:
King. this I fear from the dicing game."
Dhrtar stra sald: s e l 7 b e ie na

25 No quarrel bothers me, Stcward. herc.

Por otherwise fate would run counter to dicing. u e
This world submits to the Placer's deslgn.7b U P o

And thus does the world run. not by itsell. p

Therefore. go today to the king at my command and bring
Yudhisthira, Kunt>'s unassallable son, switly here.
 The Dicing 125

Valaarnpüyuna suid:
52.1 Then Vidura started with noble horses
Well-tralned and strong. whosc speed was great,
At King Dhrtarâ_tra's foreful command,
For the dwelling of Påndu's sagactous son.
He flew on the roud to them. and upon reuching the king's city the
wise Vidura entered it wlth the homage of the brahmins. He wcnt to
the king's palacc that rlvaled Kubera's, snd the
law-spirtted envoy
approached Yudhlsthira. the son of Law.
The great-spirited king whose strength was his falth.
Ajäta[atru. wclcomed with honors
And courtestes
Vidura: then AJamldha*
Inquired about Dhrtarâ_tra and his sons.
Yudhi_thtra satd:
I do not discern any joy in your heart>
May I hope thou. Steward, hast come in good hcalth?
May I hope that the sons comply with their clder?
May I hope that the commoners follow his rule?
Vidura said:
The grcat-spirited klng and his sons arc healthy.
And he stts in the midst of hts Indra-like kin.
Contented. O king. with his well-mannercd sons,
Firm-spiritcd, worrless, pleased with himself.
But the king of the Kurus speuks to thee thus,
After asking thy health and prosperity,
"Pray come, my son, and sec with thy brothers
This hall of mine that
matches yours!
"Foregather there. Pärtha. with thy brethren
And play and enjoy a family game.
We should be pleased if thou camest to
join us,
'The Kurus arc all assembled here."
The gamesters have been appolnted there
By grcat-spirlted King Dhrtardstra.
Thou shalt find the gamblers collected there.
With this message 1 come: ugrce to lt. king.

10 Yudhisthtra sald:
Ata dicing. Steward, we
surely shall quarrel.
Who, knowing thls. will conscnt lo a gume?
= Yudhi_thira.