Vaisampayana said,--"During the course of this gambling, certain to
bring about utter ruin (on Yudhishthira), Vidura, that dispeller of all
doubts, (addressing Dhritarashtra) said, 'O great king, O thou of the
Bharata race, attend to what I say, although my words may not be
agreeable to thee, like medicine to one that is ill and about to
breathe his last. When this Duryodhana of sinful mind had, immediately
after his birth, cried discordantly like a jackal, it was well known
that he had been ordained to bring about the destruction of the Bharata
race. Know, O king, that he will be the cause of death of ye all. A
jackal is living in thy house, O king, in the form of Duryodhana. Thou
knowest it not in consequence of thy folly. Listen now to the words of
the Poet (Sukra) which I will quote. They that collect honey (in
mountains), having received what they seek, do not notice that they are
about to fall. Ascending dangerous heights, abstracted in the pursuit
of what they seek, they fall down and meet with destruction. This
Duryodhana also, maddened with the play at dice, like the collector of
honey, abstracted in what he seeketh, marketh not the consequences.
Making enemies of these great warriors, he beholdeth not the fall that
is before him. It is known to thee, O thou of great wisdom, that
amongst the Bhojas, they abandoned, for the good of the citizens a son
that was unworthy of their race. The Andhakas, the Yadavas, and the
Bhojas uniting together, abandoned Kansa. And afterwards, when at the
command of the whole tribe, the same Kansa had been slain by Krishna
that slayer of foes, all the men of the tribe became exceedingly happy
for a hundred years. So at thy command, let Arjuna slay this Suyodhana.
And in consequence of the slaying of this wretch, let the Kurus be glad
and pass their days in happiness. In exchange of a crow, O great king,
buy these peacocks--the Pandavas; and in exchange of a jackal, buy
these tigers. For the sake of a family a member may be sacrificed; for
the sake of a village a family may be sacrificed, for the sake of a
province a village may be sacrificed and for the sake of one's own soul
the whole earth may be sacrificed. Even this was what the omniscient
Kavya himself, acquainted with the thoughts of every creature, and a
source of terror unto all foes, said unto the great Asuras to induce
them to abandon Jambha at the moment of his birth. It is said that a
certain king, having caused a number of wild birds that vomited gold to
take up their quarters in his own house, afterwards killed them from
temptation. O slayer of foes, blinded by temptation and the desire of
enjoyment, for the sake of gold, the king destroyed at the same time
both his present and future gains. Therefore, O king, prosecute not the
Pandavas from desire of profit, even like the king in story. For then,
blinded by folly thou wilt have to repent afterwards, even like the
person that killed the birds. Like a flower-seller that plucketh (many
flowers) in the garden from trees that he cherisheth with affection
from day to day, continue, O Bharata, to pluck flowers day by day from
the Pandavas. Do not scorch them to their roots like a fire-producing
breeze that reduceth everything to black charcoal. Go not, O king, unto
the region of Yama, with thy sons and troops, for who is there that is
capable of fighting with the sons of Pritha, together? Not to speak of
others, is the chief of the celestials at the head of the celestials
themselves, capable of doing so?'