Section CXXXIII

"Kunti said,

'In this connection, O chastiser of foes, is cited an old story of the conversation between Vidula and her son. It behoves you to say unto Yudhishthira anything that can be gathered from this or anything more beneficial than that.

'There was a high-born dame of great foresight, named Vidula. She was famous, slightly wrathful, of crooked disposition, and devoted to Kshatriya virtues. Well-educated, she was known to all the kings of the earth. Of great learning, she had listened to the speeches and instructions of diverse mien. And the princess Vidula, one day, rebuked her own son, who, after his defeat by the king of the Sindhus, lay prostrate with heart depressed by despair.

And she said,

'You are not my son, O enhancer of the joys of foes. Begotten you have not been by myself and your father! Whence hast you come? Without wrath as you are, you canst not be counted as a man. Your features betray you to be a eunuch. Sinkest you in despair as long as you livest? If you are desirous of your own welfare, bear you the burthen (of your affairs on your shoulders), Do not disgrace your soul. Do not suffer it to be gratified with a little. Set your heart on your welfare, and be not afraid. Abandon your fears. Rise, O coward. Do not lie down thus, after your defeat, delighting all your foes and grieving the friends, and reft of all sense of honour. Little streams are filled up with only a quantity of water. The palms of a mouse are filled with only a small quantity

A coward is soon gratified, with acquisitions that are small. Rather perish in plucking the fangs of a snake than die miserable like a dog. Put forth your prowess even at the risk of your life. Like a hawk that fearlessly ranges the sky, do you also wander fearlessly or put forth your prowess, or silently watch your foes for an opportunity. Why dost you lie down like a carcass or like one smitten by thunder? Rise, O coward, do not slumber after having been vanquished by the foe. Do not disappear from the sight of all so miserably. Make thyself known by your deeds. Never occupy the intermediate, the low, or the lowest station. Blaze up (like a well-fed fire). Like a brand of Tinduka wood, blaze up even for a moment, but never smoulder from desire, like a flameless fire of paddy chaff. It is better to blaze up for a moment than smoke for ever and ever. Let no son be born in a royal race, who is either exceedingly fierce or exceedingly mild. Repairing to the field of battle and achieving every great feat that is possible for man to achieve, a brave man is freed from the debt he owes to the duties of the Kshatriya order. Such a person never disgraces his own self.

Whether he gains his object or not, he that is possessed of sense never indulges in grief. On the other hand, such a person accomplishes what should be next done, without caring for even his life. Therefore, O son, display your prowess, or obtain that end which is inevitable. Why, Indeed, dost you live, disregarding the duties of your order? All your religious rites, O eunuch, and all your achievements are gone. The every root of all your enjoyments is cut off. What for then dost you live? If fall and sink one must, he should seize the foe by the hips (and thus fall with the foe). Even if one’s roots are cut off, he should not yet give way to despair. Horse of high mettle put forth all their prowess for dragging or bearing heavy weights. Remembering their behaviour, muster, all your strength and sense of honour. Know also in what your manliness consists. Exert thyself in raising that race which has sunk, in consequence of you.

He that has not achieved a great feat forming the subject of men’s conversation, only increases the number of population. He is neither man nor woman. He whose fame is not founded in respect of charity, asceticism, truth, learning and acquisition of wealth, is only his mother’s excreta. On the other hand, he that surpasses others in learning, asceticism, wealth, prowess, and deeds, is (truly) a man. It behoves you not to adopt the idle, wretched, infamous, and miserable profession of mendicancy that is worthy only of a coward. Friends never derive any happiness on obtaining that weak person for a friend, at whose sight foes are delighted, who is despised by men, who is without seats and robes, who is gratified with small acquisitions, who is destitute, and who has no courage, and is low.

Alas, exiled from our kingdom, driven from home, deprived of all means of enjoyment and pleasure, and destitute, of resources, we shall have to perish from want of the very means of life! Misbehaving in the midst of those that are good, and the destroyer of your race and family, by bringing you forth, O Sanjaya, I have brought forth Kali himself in the shape of a son. Oh, let no woman bring forth such a son (as you) that art without wrath, without exertion, without energy, and that art the joy of foes. Do not smoulder. Blaze you up, effectively displaying your prowess. Slay your foes. For but a moment, for ever so small a space of time, blaze you up on the heads of your enemies. He is a man who cherishes wrath and forgives not. He, on the other hand, who is forgiving and without wrath, is neither a man nor woman. Contentment and softness of heart and these two, viz., want of exertion and fear, are destructive of prosperity.

He that is without exertion never wins what is great. Therefore, O son, free thyself, by your own exertions, from these faults that lead to defeat and downfall. Steel your heart and seek to recover your own. A man is called Purusha because he is competent to trouble his foe (param). He, therefore, who lives like a woman is misnamed Purusha (man). A brave king of mighty strength, and who moves like a lion, may go the way of all creatures. The subjects, however, that reside in his dominions do not yet become unhappy. That king, who, disregarding his own happiness and pleasures, seeks the prosperity of his kingdom, succeeds soon in gladdening his counsellors and friends.'

"Hearing these words, the son said,

'If you dost not behold me, of what use would the whole earth be to you, of what use your ornaments, of what use all the means of pleasure and even life itself?'

The mother said,

'Let those regions be obtained by our foes which belong to those that are low. Let those again that are friends go to those regions which are obtainable by persons whose souls are held in respect. Do not adopt the course of life that is followed by those wretched persons, who, destitute of strength, and without servants and attendants (to do their bidding) live upon the food supplied by others. Like the creatures of the earth that depend on the clouds, or the gods depending on Indra, let the Brahmanas and your friends all depend on you for their sustenance. His life, O Sanjaya, is not vain on whom all creatures depend for their sustenance, like birds repairing to a tree abounding with ripe fruits. The life of that brave man is, indeed, praiseworthy, through whose prowess friends derive happiness, like the gods deriving happiness through the prowess of Sakra. That man who lives in greatness depending on the prowess of his own arms, succeeds in winning fame in this world and blessed state in the next!'"