51. SALYA AGAINST HIS NEPHEWS :

SALYA, the ruler of Madradesa, was the
brother of Madri, the mother of Nakula
and Sahadeva. He heard that the Pandavas
were camping in the city of Upaplavya
and making preparations for war.



He collected a very big army and set off
towards that city to join the Pandavas.
Salya's army was so large that where it
halted for rest, the encampment extended
over a length of nearly fifteen miles.
News of Salya and his marching forces
reached Duryodhana. Deciding that Salya
should somehow be persuaded to join his
side, Duryodhana instructed his officers to
provide him and his great army with all
facilities and treat them to sumptuous
hospitality.




In accordance with Duryodhana's
instruction, several beautifully decorated
rest houses were erected at several places
on the route, at which Salya and his men
were treated to wondrous hospitality.
Food and drink were lavishly provided.
Salya was exceedingly pleased with the
attentions paid to him but assumed that his
nephew, Yudhishthira, had arranged all
this. Salya's army marched on, the earth
shaking beneath their heavy strides.
Feeling very pleased with the hospitality,
he called the waiting attendants one day
and said to them:
"I must reward you all who have treated
me and my soldiers with so much love
and attention. Please tell Kunti's son that
he should let me do this, and bring me his
consent."



The servants went and told their master,
Duryodhana, this. Duryodhana, who was
all the time moving unobserved with the
party waiting on Salya and his soldiers, at
once took this opportunity to present
himself before Salya, and say how
honored he felt at Salya's acceptance of
the Kaurava hospitality.
This amazed Salya whom till then had no
suspicion of the truth, and he was also
touched by the chivalry of Duryodhana in
lavishing kingly hospitality on a partisan
of the Pandavas.




Greatly moved, he exclaimed, "How noble
and kind of you! How can I repay you?"
Duryodhana replied: "You and your forces
should fight on my side. This is the
reward I ask of you."
Salya was stunned.
The Puranas wherein right conduct is
always preached, sometimes set out
stories in which conduct, not in
conformity with Dharma, seems
condoned. Is it right, one may ask, for
religious books thus to seem to justify
wrong?




A little reflection will enable one to see
the matter in proper light. It is necessary
to bring home the fact that even wise,
good and great men are liable to fall into
error.
That is why the Puranas, although ever
seeking to instil Dharma, contain
narratives to show how in this world even
good people sometimes sin against
Dharma, as though irresistibly driven to
do so.



This is to press home the truth that
howsoever learned one may be, humility
and constant vigilance are absolutely
necessary if one wishes to avoid evil.
Why indeed, did the great authors of our
epics write about the lapses of Rama in
the Ramayana and Yudhishthira in the
Mahabharata?



Where was the need to make mention of
them and then labor arguments to explain
them away, thereby disturbing men's
minds?
It was not as though others had discovered
the lapses and Vyasa and Valmiki had to
defend their heroes. The stories are artistic
creations in which lapses they impress the
desired moral.



The parts dealing with the lapses deeply
distress the reader's mind and serve as
solemn warnings of pitfalls, which wait to
engulf the careless.
They dispose the mind to humility and
watchfulness and make it realise the need
for divine guidance. The modern cinema
also projects on the screen much that is
bad and immoral.



Whatever may be the explanation offered
by the protagonists of the cinema, evil is
presented on the screen in an attractive
fashion that grips people's minds and
tempts them into the path of wickedness.
This is not so in the Puranas. Although
they do point out that even great men now
and again fell into error and committed
wrong, the presentation is such as to warn
the reader and not to allure him into evil
ways.




This is the striking difference between our
epics and the modern talkies, which arises
from the difference in the character of the
people who produced them.
"You are the same unto us both. I must
mean as much to you as the Pandavas.
You must agree to come to my aid," said
Duryodhana.
Salya answered: "Be it so." Flattered by
Duryodhana's splendid reception, Salya
deserted the Pandavas who were entitled
to his love and esteem and pledged his
word to fight on Duryodhana's side which
shows what dangers may lurk in receiving
the hospitality of kings.




Feeling that it would not be right to go
back without meeting Yudhishthira, Salya
then turned to Duryodhana saying:
"Duryodhana, believe me. I have given
you my word of honor. I must however
meet Yudhishthira and tell him what I
have done."
"Go, see him and return soon. And do not
forget your promise to me," said
Duryodhana.
"Good luck to you. Go back to your
palace. I will not betray you." Saying this,
Salya went to the city of Upaplavya where
Yudhishthira was camping.




The Pandavas received the ruler of Madra
with great eclat. Nakula and Sahadeva
were joyous beyond measure to see their
uncle to whom the Pandavas narrated all
their hardships and sufferings.
When they started talking about obtaining
his help in the war that was impending,
Salya related to them the story of his
promise to Duryodhana.
Yudhishthira saw at once that it had been
a mistake to take Salya's assistance for
granted, thereby letting Duryodhana
forestall them.




Concealing his disappointment as best he
could, Yudhishthira addressed Salya thus:
"Great warrior, you are bound to keep the
promise you have made to, Duryodhana.
You are the equal of Vasudeva in battle
and Karna will have you as his charioteer
when he seeks Arjuna's life in the
battlefield. Are you going to be the cause
of Arjuna's death? Or are you going to
save him then? I know I cannot fairly ask
this of you. Still I do."




To which Salya rejoined: "My lad, I have
been tricked into giving Duryodhana my
word and I shall be ranged against you in
battle. But when Karna proceeds to attack
Arjuna, if I happen to be his charioteer,
you may take it he will go to battle
disheartened and Arjuna shall be saved.



Fear not. The sorrows and insults, which
were visited on Draupadi and you all, will
soon be an avenged memory. Henceforth,
yours will be good luck. No one can
prevent or alter what has been ordained by
fate. I have acted wrongly. Bear with me."



NEXT : 52. VRITRA-


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