After Sanjaya left, Yudhishthira lamented in front of Krishna. He would have liked to avert a war that would be a disaster. But, Sanjaya had offered nothing tangible at all in return. What should the Pandavas do? How would they live on without any land or resources?
Krishna was frank and forthright in his reply. He said that the war would be inevitable. But, he would go himself to talk sense to the Kauravas as the last effort for peace. Yudhishthira was apprehensive of Krishna going alone to the Kauravas. The mood of Duryodhana and his antipathy to Krishna were quite evident. He did not want Krishna to face danger on his account.
To Yudhishthira’s anxiety Krishna replied. “Do not worry about me. If I am provoked, even all the kings together on earth will be no match for me. If the Kauravas dare to play mischief with me, I shall burn the lot down to ashes.”
Bhima in a submissive mood
It was not the ususal ebullient Bhima who spoke to Krishna when the latter was about to leave for Hastinapura. The Pandava wanted to avoid war, if possible. He feared total destruction at the end. Krishna had to tease Bhima and provoke him to be ready for an eventual war.
Even Nakula was apprehensive of war. Arjuna was also not quite happy about war, but, did not see any alternative to it.
Krishna found only two among the Pandava side who were ready for action and for punishing the evil Kauravas for all their misdeeds. They were Sahadeva and Sathyaki.
The smoking volcano
Draupadi was like a volcano who was ready to erupt in spite of her outward serene appearance. She asked Krishna to try for peace as war would be disastrous. Then, after speaking calmly about the dangers of war, she took her heavy curls of thick black hair in hand and showed them to Krishna. She had not tied her hair since the day Dussasana pulled her by it into the Kaurava assembly. It was her pledge that Bhima would tie her hair again with the blood of Dussasana.
She had heard all that her husbands spoke as message to the Kauravas. She said. “Vain is the strength of Bhima and so is the valour of Arjuna as Duyodhana lives on even after doing all his evil and cruel acts against us. Even if my husbands are reluctant to face the Kauravas, my five valiant sons would take revenge on my behalf along with Abhimanyu.”
Krishna consoled her that her grievance would be redressed and that all the hundred Kauravas would soon be killed in battle.
With those words Krishna got into a well decorated chariot along with Satyaki and set forth in the direction of Hastinapura.
