Yudhishthira said What words, of mine, O Sanjaya, have you heard meaning ever, that you fear war. The reverse of war, is better than war. Who having got that (peace) goes to war, O Suta?

If what a man desires in his heart is fulfilled, O Sanjaya, without doing anything then he will not do anything even if that be very much easier than war.

Wherefore should a man go to war; who is there cursed by the gods who would chose war? The sons of Pritha do acts which bring on happiness and at the same time are conducive to the well being of the world and not inferior to virtue (i.e. virtuous acts).

They are men desirous of only such happiness as has its source in virtue. He, who being desirous of happiness and of destroying misery, follows the pleasant dictates of his senses, adopts a way which leads to misery.

Seeking pleasure he pains his own body as fuel to a burning flame increases its force; and when a man has freed himself from this longing he does not bring misery on himself.

In the same way, by the satisfaction of our sensual desires we are not satiated but are like fire with clarified butter added on to it. Compare this great source of enjoyment of the king Dhritarashtra with ourselves.

Deserted by the goddess of fortune people never win victory in battle; unfortunate people never hear the sound of music, unfortunate people never enjoy garlands and fragrance and unfortunate people (never enjoy) ungents.

Also, unfortunate people never get fine sheets to wear, (we are unfortunate) otherwise why should we have been exiled from the country of the Kurus. It must be so. The desires of an unwise man give trouble to his body as well as to his mind.

The king himself in trouble wants to get strength from others; this is hardly fair. As he sees himself surrounded (by friends) so let him see others surrounded (by friends).

A man having thrown, burning fire, at midday, at the end of winter, on a thick wood of reeds and which fire spreads with the wind, repents his act when he is desirous of escape.

Having got wealth why does the king Dhritarashtra now grieve for his lot O Sanjaya? Simply because he had accepted the secret advice to his dull-headed son of vicious soul and addicted to dishonest ways.

Suyodhana treated with contempt the world of Vidura, whom he regarded as his enemy though he was his friend and the king Dhritarashtra, desirous of meeting the wishes of his son, consciously deserted virtue.

The king Dhritarashtra, from a desire to please his son, remembered not that Vidura was a wise man among the Kurus and wished for the well-being of the Kurus, of very great learning, adept at speech and well behaved.

He (the son) through himself desirous of honour, seeks to deprive others of honour, is jealous, wrathful, goes beyond the limits of virtue for his own interests, haughty in sensual desires and is induced with a bad heart.

He leads a bad life, is deserted by the Goddess of Fortune, cherishes wrongs for a long time, conspires, against friends and has a vicious mind. For meeting the wishes of such an one did king Dhritarashtra, with his eyes wide open, forsake virtue and pleasure.

At that time, O Sanjaya, when I was playing at dice did it occur to me that the destruction of the Kurus was come for Vidura speaking these wise words did not obtain praise from Dhritarashtra.

When they no longer followed the instructions of Vidura, troubles overtook the Kurus, O Suta. So long as they followed his wisdom, did their kingdom prosper.

Hear now from me who are the ministers of the son of Dhritarashtra for the promotion of his interest, O Suta. They are Dhritarashtra, Shakuni and the son of Suta (Karna). O son of Gavalgani, look at his folly.

Therefore even when I consider, do I not see how it can go well with the Kurus and the Srinjayas, Dhritarashtra having usurped the wealth of others and the far seeing Vidura having been banished to a foreign country.

Dhritarashtra, with his son, hopes for an undisputed suzerainty over this world. Absolute peace therefore is unobtainable. Whatever wealth is under his possession he regards as belonging to himself.

Karna considers Arjuna capable of being vanquished when the latter takes up his weapons in battle. In former days there were many great battles. Why were they not benefited by Karna.

Karna knows, so does Suyodhana, Drona knows so does our grandsire and so do the other Kurus that there is no wielder of the bow superior to Arjuna.

All the Kurus, know and so do all the other kings that are assembled, how this kingdom came under the possession of Duryodhana, during the life-time of Arjuna, the subduer of foes.

With that precedent in their mind, the sons of Dhritarashtra think that they are capable of depriving the sons of Pandu of what is their own through they are aware having been present there, of the deportment of Arjuna in a battle when the only weapon he had was a bow.

Not yet having heard the twang of the Gandiva when fully stretched out, the sons of Dhritarashtra are yet alive. So long as he does not see Bhimasena inspired with wrath, Suyodhana thinks that his object is gained.

Indra even would not be able to stand against him, for robbing us of our wealth, during the life time of Bhimasena and Dhananjaya, 0 Suta and the patient Nakula and the hero Sahadeva.

The old king with his son, O Suta, still entertains the thought that the sons of Dhritarashtra will not be killed in battle consumed by the son of Pandu, O Sanjaya.

You know what troubles have overtaken us. For my respect for you, I would forgive them, (you know as well) that which has taken place between ourselves and the sons of Kuru and what our treatment towards the son of Dhritarashtra was at the time.

Even let that treatment be the same, I shall make peace, as you ask me to do. Let Indraprastha be my kingdom. Let the foremost of the race of Bharata, give it back to me.