191.1 Dritharashtra succumbs to Duryodhana's pressure
Sakuni said "O foremost of victorious persons, I will snatch for thee this prosperity of Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, at the sight of which you grieve so. Therefore, O king, let Yudhishthira be summoned. By throwing dice,a skilful man, himself uninjured, may vanquish one that has no skill. Know that betting is my bow, the dice are my arrows, the marks on them my bow-string, and the dice-board my car" Duryodhana said "This Sukuni skilled at dice, is ready, O king, to snatch the prosperity of the son of Pandu by means of dice. It behoves you to give him permission." Dhritarashtra said "I am obedient to the counsels of my brother, the illustrious Vidura. Consulting with him, I shall tell what should be done in this matter." Duryodhana said "Vidura is always engaged in doing good to the sons of Pandu. O Kaurava, his feelings towards us are otherwise. He will, therefore, without doubt, withdraw your heart from the proposed act. No man should set himself to any task depending upon the counsels of another, for the minds of two persons seldom agree in any particular act. The fool that lives shunning all causes of fear wastes himself like an insect in the rainy season. Neither sickness nor Yama wait till one is in prosperity. Therefore so long as there is life and health, one should without waiting for prosperity accomplish his purpose." Dhritarashtra said "O son, hostility with those that are strong, is what never recommends itself to me. Hostility brings about a change of feelings, and that itself is a weapon, though not made of steel. You regard as a great blessing what will bring in its train the terrible consequences of war. War is really fraught with mischief. If once it begins, it will create sharp swords and pointed arrows." Duryodhana replied "Men of the most ancient times invented the use of dice. There is no destruction in it, nor is there any striking with weapons. Let the words of Sakuni, therefore, be acceptable to you, and let your command be issued for the speedy construction of the assembly house. The door of heaven, leading us to such happiness, will be opened to us by gambling. Indeed, they that take to gambling with such aid deserve such good fortune. The Pandavas then will become your equals instead of, as now, superiors; therefore, gamble with the Pandavas."
Dhritarashtra said "The words uttered by you do not recommend themselves to me. Do what may be agreeable to you. But you shall have to repent for acting according to these words; for, words that are fraught with such immorality can never bring prosperity in the future. This was foreseen by the learned Vidura ever treading the path of truth and wisdom. Even the great calamity, destructive of the lives of the Kshatriyas, comes as destined by fate". Having said this, the weak-minded Dhritarashtra regarded fate as supreme and unavoidable. And the king deprived of reason by Fate, and obedient to the counsels of his son, commanded his men in loud voice, saying "Carefully construct, without loss of time, an assembly house of the most beautiful description, to be called the crystal-arched palace with a thousand columns, decked with gold and lapis lazuli, furnished with a hundred gates, and full two miles in length and in breadth the same." Hearing those words of his, thousands of artificers endued with intelligence and skill soon erected the palace with the greatest alacrity, and having erected it brought there every kind of article. And soon after they cheerfully represented unto the king that the palace had been finished, and that it was delightful and handsome and furnished with every kind of gems and covered with many-coloured carpets inlaid with gold. Then king Dhritarashtra, possessed of learning, summoning Vidura the chief of his ministers, said: "Repairing, to Khandavaprastha, bring prince Yudhishthira here without loss of time. Let him come here with his brothers, and behold this handsome assembly house of mine, furnished with countless jewels and gems, and costly beds and carpets, and let a friendly match at dice commence here."
King Dhritarashtra, ascertaining the inclinations of his son and knowing that Fate is inevitable, did what he did.. Vidura, however, that foremost of intelligent men, approved not his brother's words and spoke "I approve not, O king, of this command of yours. Do not act so. I fear, this will bring about the destruction of our race. When your sons lose their unity, dissension will certainly ensue amongst them. This I apprehend, from this match at dice." Dhritarashtra said "If Fate be not hostile, this quarrel will not certainly grieve me. The whole universe moves at the will of its Creator, under the controlling influence of Fate. It is not free. Therefore, OVidura, going unto king Yudhishthira at my command, bring soon that invincible son of Kunti.'"
Dhritarashtra said "The words uttered by you do not recommend themselves to me. Do what may be agreeable to you. But you shall have to repent for acting according to these words; for, words that are fraught with such immorality can never bring prosperity in the future. This was foreseen by the learned Vidura ever treading the path of truth and wisdom. Even the great calamity, destructive of the lives of the Kshatriyas, comes as destined by fate". Having said this, the weak-minded Dhritarashtra regarded fate as supreme and unavoidable. And the king deprived of reason by Fate, and obedient to the counsels of his son, commanded his men in loud voice, saying "Carefully construct, without loss of time, an assembly house of the most beautiful description, to be called the crystal-arched palace with a thousand columns, decked with gold and lapis lazuli, furnished with a hundred gates, and full two miles in length and in breadth the same." Hearing those words of his, thousands of artificers endued with intelligence and skill soon erected the palace with the greatest alacrity, and having erected it brought there every kind of article. And soon after they cheerfully represented unto the king that the palace had been finished, and that it was delightful and handsome and furnished with every kind of gems and covered with many-coloured carpets inlaid with gold. Then king Dhritarashtra, possessed of learning, summoning Vidura the chief of his ministers, said: "Repairing, to Khandavaprastha, bring prince Yudhishthira here without loss of time. Let him come here with his brothers, and behold this handsome assembly house of mine, furnished with countless jewels and gems, and costly beds and carpets, and let a friendly match at dice commence here."
King Dhritarashtra, ascertaining the inclinations of his son and knowing that Fate is inevitable, did what he did.. Vidura, however, that foremost of intelligent men, approved not his brother's words and spoke "I approve not, O king, of this command of yours. Do not act so. I fear, this will bring about the destruction of our race. When your sons lose their unity, dissension will certainly ensue amongst them. This I apprehend, from this match at dice." Dhritarashtra said "If Fate be not hostile, this quarrel will not certainly grieve me. The whole universe moves at the will of its Creator, under the controlling influence of Fate. It is not free. Therefore, OVidura, going unto king Yudhishthira at my command, bring soon that invincible son of Kunti.'"