Sanjaya in Kaurav's Court

After passing the night Bheeshm, Drone, Kripaa, Shalya, Kritvarmaa, Jayadrath, Ashwatthaamaa, Vikarn, Somdatt, Baahleek, and Yuyutsu along with Dhritraashtra entered the great assembly hall anxiously to know the message Sanjaya had brought from Paandav. Then entered the hall Dushaasan, Chitrasen, Shakuni, Durmukh, Dussah, Karn and  Ulook  keeping Duryodhan as their head. Then came Sanjaya, He greeted all of them then conveyed Yudhishthir's greetings to all of them according to their age.

Dhritraashtra asked him to tell everything that happened at Upaplavya. Sanjaya told them everything in detail, from Yudhishthir's message to Arjun and Krishn's messages. He said - "Arjun said - "If Duryodhan does not surrender to Yudhishthir, his all kingdom and people will be destroyed. When he will see Bheem fighting with him he will repent for this war. Krishn is invincible in the war. He abducted Rukminee with a single Chariot; then His son Pradyumn defeated Gaandhaar and conquered all the sons of Nagnajit; got the king Sudarshan freed from jail. Krishn killed Eklavya who was incapable of being defeated by others. Narakaasur kept Aditi's earrings in Praagjyotish named city of Asur; He brought them from there. He killed 6,000 Raakshas in Nirmochan city and entered the city. There He fought with Narakaasur and killed him. So ask Dhritraashtra to let Kaurav live long."

Bheeshm said to Duryodhan - "Once upon a time all Devtaa went to see Brahmaa. All sat around him. Just then two ancient Rishi, Nar and Naaraayan who were there got up and went away. Then Indra asked - "Hey Pitaa (father), Who were these two Rishi who went away without greeting you?" Brahmaa said - "They were ancient Rishi, Nar and Naaraayan, who came here from other world. They always kill Asur for the joy of others." Hearing these words Indra along with other Devtaa went to that spot where they were doing their Tap. As he was expecting a war between Devtaa and Asur, he asked a Var from them. Nar and Naaraayan asked - "What is your wish?" Indra said - "We need your help." They said - "Granted." That is how Indra could win Asur and Daitya. Nar killed thousands of Paulomaa and Kalkhanj. It was this Arjun who severed Jambhaasur in battle. It was he who destroyed Asur's city of Hiranyapur on the other side of the ocean and killed 60,000 Nivaatkavach. He gratified Agni Dev. These are the two energies now united together in the form of Arjun and Vaasudev. They repeatedly born whenever the war for destruction purpose is to be broken. Naarad Jee had said this. We should not indulge ourselves in such war. You have evil-minded Shakuni; sinful Dushaasan; low-born Karn handicapped with Parashuraam's Shaap, Braahman's Shaap, and has lost his Kavach and Kundal. How do you think you can win Paandav?"

Karn was terribly hurt with these words of Bheeshm. He said to Duryodhan - "Your grandfather always tries to hurt me whenever he gets a chance, this is not good. I may not be Kshatriya, but my all actions are of Kshatriya. I am faithful to my friend and I will be. I can do anything for him. I can kill Paandav single-handed and I know that I can." Bheeshm said to Duryodhan - "Your friend talks a lot but I have never seen his bravery. He is not even one sixteenth as good as Arjun. Trusting this man you have insulted Paandav, you have committed a grave mistake. You have already seen as how did he behave during the fight with Gandharv and the fight with Viraat, still you don't want to listen anything against him."

Duryodhan did not care to reply Bheeshm. He loved Karn as Krishn loved Arjun. Karn was very unpopular with all the elders in the court except Dhritraashtra. No one loved Karn except Duryodhan. Drone also agreed with Bheeshm that they should make peace with Kaurav. Dhritraashtra again asked - "What does Yudhishthir say?" Sanjaya said - "Everybody is looking at his face to receive orders from him." Dhritraashtra again asked Sanjaya about the army collected by them. At this Sanjaya took a couple of long breaths and fell down without no apparent reason. Vidur told this to Dhritraashtra.

When Sanjaya came into senses, he described the army of Paandav. He said - "Kuntee has done a great Tap. Shikhandee is born to kill Bheeshm, Dhrishtdyumn is born to kill Drone. Many kings have joined Paandav and now they are ready to fight with you."

Dhritraashtra was very terrified hearing all this he said - "Whatever names you have taken, in fact all of them are equal to Bheem alone only. Who can kill him in the battlefield? I am terrified for the lives of my sons. Oh, My foolish sons are already dead if they have to face Bheem. I am scared of Bheem's vow. Duryodhan will certainly die with his thigh broken. I am not afraid of Yudhishthir's brothers as much as from Yudhishthir's angry looks which he might cast on my sons. What should I do, my sons are not listening to anybody. They are fools to cross the inaccessible ocean of Paandav and their followers. Destiny is all powerful because in spite of knowing all this I fail to stop my sons. I weep for those who will fight against Paandav. Tied with the wheel of time I am not capable to come out of that. All this is the result of Duryodhan's greed of wealth. I will helplessly be hearing the wailing of Kaurav women when my all sons will be dead. Oh, how may Death come upon me?

In spite of knowing that this war is not good for us, I am unable to stop my sons. I am sure that victory is not mine. Karn is compassionate and heedless; Drone is old and loves Arjun very much; there is none who can defeat Arjun because he always wins. Thirty-three years ago he satisfied Agni Dev. I have never found any warrior like Arjun for a very long time. There is no rival of his in the battle. Even Drone and Karn can withstand him, is doubtful. Karn is both compassionate and heedless, Guru is aged and loves Arjun very much. Both encounters will be terrible. there can only be peace when either of them will be fallen, but who can defeat or kill Arjun? We don't have a bow like Arjun's, even one warrior like Arjun and a charioteer like Keshav. When all the three will be at the same place who can win them? They will kill my army as a blazing fire burns the grass in summer with the help of wind. Saatyaki is like Arjun. If war doesn't seem beneficial to you then we will try for peace."

This encouraged Sanjaya to speak something, he said - "You have insulted Arjun from the very beginning. When Paandav were defeated at the dice game, you laughed like a child saying "This is won", "This is acquired". When others were insulting them you did not stop them to do so. because you were happy that your sons have won the kingdom. At that time you could not see the fall of Kuru country. But see, when your sons were arrested by Gandharv, the same Paarth got them freed from them.

In fact your son is not the sinner, you are. Vidur has been trying to explain you for so many years, but you have never listened to him. I was there when the dice game was being played. He asked you, not your son, to stop the game but you never seemed to stop the game rather you were interested in "Who won?" You were worried after the game, you called me, not because you were worried about the injustice done to Paandav but about your sons that thy were going to be killed, and there is no doubt about it that they will be killed and they will be killed only because of you. Arjun is the foremost of all shooters, Gaandeev is foremost of all the bows, Keshav is foremost of all beings, Sudarshan (Divine disc) is foremost of all the weapons, and Arjun's chariot is foremost of all the chariots. In fact he is the king of whole Prithvi who has Bheem and Arjun to fight for him. Now it is useless to lament for your sons."

Duryodhan said to Dhritraashtra - "You don't fear Father, We are able to defeat our enemy. When Paandav were in exile, Krishn, Dhrishtketu, Dhrishtdyumn with their armies came to Yudhishthir and asked them to take back his kingdom by fight. At that time I told Bheeshm, Drone, Kripaa and Ashwatthaamaa that they might not abide by the rules and all except Dhritraashtra and Vidur, might be killed in that war. Krishn wanted us to be destroyed completely, then what should we do? Should we surrender, or run away or fight with them, or give up every hope of life? Because at that time all the kings were under Yudhishthir. I knew that if we had fought with them at that time we would have not been able to win them because all kings were under Yudhishthir, and most people were annoyed with us.

Then they said to me - "You don't fear from them when we are in the field, because each of us is able to kill all kings singly. Let them come." This was said by them 13 years ago. They had their control on Prithvi long before, but now the scenario is different, now we are more powerful than them. All kings can die for me. 

Even Krishn or Brahmaa cannot defeat me now. You are overestimating Bheem's powers, you don't know my powers. There is none equal to me in using Gadaa today, Balaraam, my Guru, has already said it and everybody knows this too. Bheem will never be able to withstand me. Since everyone alone is capable to kill Paandav, united together they will immediately send Arjun to Yam Raaj." Then he counted the great warriors of his own side - Bheeshm, Drone, Ashwatthaamaa, Kripaa, Karn all were invincible. He counted Baahleek, Shalya, Somdatt, Vind and Anuvind, Jayadrath, and brothers Dushaasan, Durmukh, Chitrasen, Bhoorishravaa etc.

Bheeshm cannot be killed because of his father's boon; Drone is born from a water-pot from Bharadwaaj, and his son is born from him; Kripaa is also born of the high Rishi Gautam, in a clump of heath, so he can also be not killed. Thus these three are not born normally from a woman's womb. They can certainly kill Arjun. Karn is also equal to these three because his Guru has already told him that he is equal to him. Besides he has an infallible Power also given by Indra in exchange of his ear-rings (he took them to please Shachee). How can Arjun now save himself from so many warriors?"

He further said - "Bheeshm will kill 10,00 soldiers daily, and so these other warriors - Drone, Kripaa, Ashwatthaamaa. Sansaptak warriors have also vowed to kill Arjun or to be killed by him. When Bheem will be killed then who else will fight from that side? Only seven warriors are there in enemy's army - five Paandav, Dhrishtdyumn and Saatyaki; while we have many - Bheeshm, Drone, Kripaa, Ashwatthaamaa, Karn, Somdatt, Baahleek, Shalya, Vind and Anuvind, Jayadrath and your own sons. Besides these great warriors I have collected 11 Akshauhinee army. While our enemy has much less than ours - only seven Akshauhinee. Brihaspati has said that if somebody's army is less by one-third, he ought to be encountered.  So you should not worry at all.

See, all the kings are laughing at you seeing you grieving you so much. Even Krishn is not capable to defeat my such a big army. I have no fear of Bheem, since Balaraam has already declared me the best in Gadaa. Rather I wish to see Gadaa in Bheem's hand in the field. " 

After saying this Duryodhan asked Sanjaya to tell him more about Paandav as what were they doing about war?