Dhritarashtra was unnerved after listening to the words of the eminent sages. He told Krishna that he had tried to advise his son on several occasions to have peace with the Pandavas, but, Duryodhana would not listen to him. He requested Krishna to talk sense to his son.
Krishna spoke words meant to pacify the Kaurava. He stressed the importance of following the righteous path. He pointed out that the entire Kaurava army, even though vast and lead by veterans like Bhishma and Drona, would be no match for Arjuna supported by himself. So, peace with the Pandavas was the wisest course of action for the Kauravas. Bhishma, Drona, Vidura and Dhritarashtra all agreed with Krishna and asked Duryodhana for restraint.
Duryodhana’s response to the wise counsel was harsh in tone and point blank in its message. He said that Krishna wrongly implicated him saying that he was the wrong doer. In fact, he had gained all that the Pandavas possessed by the honest ways. He would not give away even a needle point of land without a fight.
At that point Krishna gave up his conciliatory approach. He rebuked Duryodhana for all the cruel and conceited ways by which the Kaurava had inflicted great hardships on the Pandavas. Duryodhana’s anger flared up when he heard this. He left the assembly along with his supporters in contempt for all who were present.
Krishna, then, addressed Dhritarashtra. He said that the whole Kaurava race was going to be destroyed on account of his son. The only way out was to sacrifice his son to save the rest. Krishna tried to impress on the king that he should hand the four evil doers on the Kaurava side, Duryodhana, Dussasana, Sakuni and Karna, over to the Pandavas to save the situation.
Dhritarashtra sensed that the situation was beyond his control. He sent for his wife, the venerable Gandhari. The wise lady called upon her son to her side and requested him not destroy the entire country on account of his greed. But, even her wise counsel had no effect on the adamant Duryodhana.
Meanwhile, Dussasana reported Krishna’s last demand for imprisoning them to his brother. But, Duryodhana already had hatched a plan in his mind. He took his supporters, Sakuni, Karna and Dussasana, into confidence on this. His idea was to tie up Krishna and throw him into the Kaurava prison. Without Krishna the Pandavas would be powerless.
Satyaki was watching every move of Duryodhana as he had suspected possible foul play right from the beginning. He got tips of the Kaurava’s plan to imprison Krishna and gave immediate orders for the Yadava army to get into battle array to face the Kauravas. Then, he reported the matter to Krishna. Krishna smiled at his friend and waited nonchalantly for Duryodhana to re-enter the assembly.
Krishna displays his ‘real form’
When Duryodhana entered the assembly Krishna laughed at him and said. “Duryodhana, you think that I am alone and helpless. Have a close look at me and discover for yourself who I really am!”
What Duryodhana found in the person of Krishna was not the body of the Yadava prince. The outer form showed Krishna bearing four arms holding the four weapons of Vishnu. But, within that form emerged the entire universe. Duryodhana could see gods, sages and the demons there. The entire human race appeared to be part of Krishna. All the Kauravas and Pandavas seemed to emerge from Krishna’s divine body. It was a sight enough to unnerve even the elders on the Kaurava side, like Bhishma and Drona. All shut their eyes firmly unable to bear the frightening sight. Krishna gave temporary sight to the blind eyes of Dhritarashtra to view his divine form. The old king was beyond himself and, unable to look at Krishna any longer, requested him to turn him blind again.
When Krishna knew that he had the desired effect on all who had assembled he changed back to his normal form and announced that he tried his best to avoid war. Duryodhana, in stead of listening to reason, was trying to harm him. With those words he left the assembly hall and went to meet Kunti, again.
Kunti had only one parting message for her sons, that it was time for them to fight for their rights. She narrated the story of a royal woman by name Vidula who persuaded her son to return to the battle field when he had come back defeated.
(We end the present chapter with the next episode, on Kunti meeting her eldest son)
