Free THE MAHABHARATA: A Modern Rendering, Vol 2 by Ramesh Menon

languages that describe it.
    Ah, those who know That in which the universe is established, they are blessed indeed!” said Sanat-sujata. With a smile, the sage added, “So renounce your greed, O king. Follow the straight path of dharma and knowledge and freedom shall be yours.”
    His palm raised in blessing over the brothers, the enlightened one vanished from Dhritarashtra’s chamber.

EIGHT
SANJAYA DELIVERS A MESSAGE 
    The next morning, the Kauravas filed into the court of Hastinapura. Bheeshma and Dhritarashtra entered first and sat on their thrones. The blind king was haggard after the long night, already defeated before the first arrow was loosed or the first blade drew blood. When all the others were in their places, Sanjaya came in. The sabha settled quickly and Dhritarashtra asked, “Sanjaya, what message do you bring from my nephews in Upaplavya?”
    Sanjaya rose, “Yudhishtira sends his greetings to you all. Listen to what transpired in the sabha into which I took your message. Hear what Krishna said and what Yudhishtira and Arjuna said after him.”
    Sanjaya had been sent as a messenger also for a special gift he had: his prodigious memory. He launched into a vivid description of the council in Upaplavya and he remembered details that no other man would have. He described the clothes the different kings wore and, even, who was grim or who smiled and when. Not a word had he forgotten, not an inflection of tone or a flicker of expression in a speaker’s eye. The sabha in Hastinapura sat riveted while he spoke.
    Sanjaya was fierce, when he came to what Arjuna said. “‘Tell Dhritarashtra’s son if he does not give up half the kingdom, he will see Bheema hunt his soldiers like Yama. Tell the foul-tongued suta-putra that he will die, when I meet him again on the battlefield. Tell him I cannot wait to cut his arrogant life short. Tell Duryodhana he will repent when he sees Satyaki take the field against him. Tell him Krishna will be my sarathy and no Kaurava will escape death.’“
    Sanjaya concluded, “And Yudhishtira said finally that if Duryodhana will not give him back his kingdom, let him give just five towns. Let him return Indraprastha, Vrikaprastha, Jayanta, Varanavrata and any other village of his choice and Yudhishtira will disband his legions.”
    Having finished, Sanjaya sat down amidst silence in that sabha. No one spoke for a time, then Bheeshma said in his deep, slow way, “Ah Duryodhana, are you intent on courting death? Don’t you see whom you have chosen to be your enemies? Arjuna and Krishna. The rishis all say they are Nara Narayana of old come to wash the earth in blood. They are invincible, my son. Listen to an old man; give up your obstinacy. Give back their kingdom to the Pandavas and be grateful that they won’t seek revenge.”
    Duryodhana sat stiffly in his place, not a muscle moving. Bheeshma looked at his favorite grandson, with untold tenderness and anxiety in his old eyes. And he spoke not because he thought there was any hope of Duryodhana doing as he asked, but he felt it was his sacred duty to say, again, what was obvious.
    The Pitama resumed, “They have dharma with them and if that is not enough, they have Krishna as well. Duryodhana, you will decide if there will be war. All the rest, Dhritarashtra, Dusasana, Karna, even Shakuni, will do as you say. I beg you, my child, even now it is not too late: return their kingdom to your cousins and let us have peace.”
    Duryodhana was impassive. In despair, his grandsire cried, “Do you hope the vile, scheming Shakuni will win the war for you? Or your brother Dusasana, steeped in every vice known to man? No, you rely on Karna. How blind can you be? You hope a sutaputra can win a war against the noblest kshatriyas in the world. Have you forgotten he was cursed by his own guru for lying to him? How will he turn away Bhargava’s curse? And the brahmana on the seashore, whose cow he killed, cursed him. Your friend has already set