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I shall not allow you to pass. Turn back now. Do not meet with destruction.”

Follow his advice and do not be vindictive. O King, do not destroy the Kuru’s prosperity. Do not cause the death of all these kṣatriyas. Do not destroy your brothers. Do not destroy yourself. Do not drown your parents in a sea of grief.

“Those men who will not worship Kṛṣṇa should be considered dead even though breathing. They should not even be gazed upon.”

“If Bṛhannala is his charioteer, you need not fear. The Kurus will not be able to defeat him. Indeed, even the celestial hosts would not be able to overpower him with Bṛhannala on his chariot.”

“O son of Indra, we of the heavenly realms are not fettered by human morality. You need not see me as a superior. Do not reject me, for that is not the practice of virtuous men.”

Bhīma did not care for the warning. He had little regard for Rākṣasas and was certainly not going to be told what to do by them. see the illustrious Kuvera here, and even if I did, I would not pray for these flowers. It is not the duty of kṣatriyas to beg. Kuvera did not make it, nor did he create the lotuses. Why then should I ask his permission?”

Śiva replied, “You need not feel anxiety on account of Phālgunī. He does not wish to attain heaven or prosperity. I know his purpose and will satisfy him today.”

Yudhiṣṭhira sighed again, but did not speak. Bhīma was overcome by passion, he thought, and not thinking carefully. Could he not understand that their suffering had been somehow ordained by the Supreme Lord? They could not please the Lord by abandoning religion, and to please God was always everyone’s prime

Weeping does not drive away grief. Summon your patience. Do not grieve and thus give more joy to your enemies.”

“Neither can those who are wicked-minded, who have not performed sacrifice, who have not abstained from liquor and meat, who have not bathed in holy rivers nor given charity to Brahmins ever reach this abode

“Do not fear, My friend. All the kings on earth together could not capture Me.

Why had the people not cheered his own sons in this way? Was not Duryodhana Arjuna’s equal?

Bhuminjaya did not listen. With his long sword swinging from side to side as he ran, he did not even look back.

The queen replied, “O Brahmin, I am not pure. I am not ready to receive the sacrificial ghee.”

“I know Duryodhana’s vicious nature, but by going to the Kurus and trying for peace, we will not be censured No one will be able to say that we did not do everything in our power to avoid war. Do not be afraid for Me. All the earth’s rulers united could not stand before Me in battle when I am angry.

I will not abandon him. Yet your appeal will not go in vain. With the exception of Arjuna, I will not kill any of your sons in battle, even if I overpower them. Either Arjuna or I will survive, but not both.”

The Pāṇḍavas were not surprised at the description of Duryodhana’s refusal to accept good advice. They were not even surprised to hear how he had repeatedly stormed out of the court like an angry child

Vidura retorted, “O wicked man, you do not see that by such words you are tying a noose around your neck Do you not realize that being but a deer, you are provoking the anger of so many tigers? Do not agitate them further or you will soon go to Yamarāja’s abode.”

“King Drupada did not act well when he bestowed this princess upon the Pāṇḍavas, who are impotent men Select a better husband from among the Kauravas so that this calamity may not overwhelm you. Do not waste any more time waiting upon the Pāṇḍavas.”

His desire was not satiated. Should it not be I who goes to the region of the dead to gratify him? I am still clasping him even now and will not allow him to go without me.