"Duryodhana said,--'Come, Kshatta, bring hither Draupadi the dear and
loved wife of the Pandavas. Let her sweep the chambers, force her
thereto, and let the unfortunate one stay where our serving-women are.'
"Vidura said,--'Dost thou not know, O wretch, that by uttering such
harsh words thou art tying thyself with cords? Dost thou not understand
that thou art hanging on the edge of a precipice? Dost thou not know
that being a deer thou provokest so many tigers to rage? Snakes of
deadly venom, provoked to ire, are on thy head! Wretch, do not further
provoke them lest thou goest to the region of Yama. In my judgement,
slavery does not attach to Krishna, in as much as she was staked by the
King after he had lost himself and ceased to be his own master. Like
the bamboo that beareth fruit only when it is about to die, the son of
Dhritarashtra winneth this treasure at play. Intoxicated, he perceiveth
not in these his last moments that dice bring about enmity and
frightful terrors. No man should utter harsh speeches and pierce the
hearts of the others. No man should subjugate his enemies by dice and
such other foul means. No one should utter such words as are
disapproved by the Vedas and lead to hell and annoy others. Some one
uttereth from his lips words that are harsh. Stung by them another
burneth day and night. These words pierce the very heart of another.
The learned, therefore, should never utter them, pointing them at
others. A goat had once swallowed a hook, and when it was pierced with
it, the hunter placing the head of the animal on the ground tore its
throat frightfully in drawing it out. Therefore, O Duryodhana, swallow
not the wealth of the Pandavas. Make them not thy enemies. The sons of
Pritha never use words such as these. It is only low men that are like
dogs who use harsh words towards all classes of people, viz., those
that have retired to the woods, those leading domestic lives, those
employed in ascetic devotions and those that are of great learning.
Alas! the son of Dhritarashtra knoweth not that dishonesty is one of
the frightful doors of hell. Alas! many of the Kurus with Dussasana
amongst them have followed him in the path of dishonesty in the matter
of this play at dice. Even gourds may sink and stones may float, and
boats also may always sink in water, still this foolish king, the son
of Dhritarashtra, listeneth not to my words that are even as regimen
unto him. Without doubt, he will be the cause of the destruction of the
Kurus. When the words of wisdom spoken by friends and which are even as
fit regimen are not listened to, but on the other hand temptation is on
the increase, a frightful and universal destruction is sure to overtake
all the Kurus.'"