KRISHNA'S PEACE MISSION
As a last attempt at peace, Krishna traveled to Hastinapur to
persuade the Kauravas to embark upon a peaceful path with him. At
Hastinapur, Krishna took his meals and stayed at the house of the
minister, Vidura, a religious man and a "devotee" of
Krishna. Duryodhana was insulted that Krishna had turned down his
invitation to dine with him and stay in his royal palace. Determined to stop
the peace mission, Duryodhana plotted to arrest Krishna.
At the formal presentation of the peace proposal by Krishna at the court of
Hastinapur, Krishna asked Duryodhana to give back Indraprastha or if not at
least five villages, one for each of the pandavas, but Duryodhana said he
could not give land even as much as tip of a needle, Krishna's peace
proposals were ignored, and Duryodhana publicly ordered his soldiers to
arrest Krishna. Krishna laughed and displayed his divine form, radiating
intense light. Furious at the insult inflicted upon Him, Lord Krishna cursed
Duryodhana that his downfall was certain, to the shock of Dhirtharastra,
who tried to pacify the Lord. On his peace mission rejected by Duryodhana,
Krishna returned to Upaplavya to inform the Pandavas that the only course
left to uphold the principles of virtue and righteousness was inevitable - war.
During the course of his return, Krishna met Karna, Kunti's firstborn (before
Yudhisthira), and said to help his brothers, but, being helped by
Duryodhana, Karna said to Krishna that he would battle against Pandavas.
War preparations
Krishna had a large force called the Narayani Sena and was himself a great
warrior. Duryodhana andArjuna thus both went to Krishna at Dwarka to ask
for his help. Duryodhana arrived first, and found Krishna asleep. Being
arrogant and viewing himself as equal to Krishna, Duryodhana chose a seat
at Krishna's head and waited for him to rouse. Arjuna arrived later, and
being a humble devotee of Krishna, chose to sit and wait at Krishna's feet.
When Krishna woke up, He saw Arjuna first and gave him the first right to
make his request. Krishna told Arjuna and Duryodhana that he would give
the Narayani Sena, to one side, and himself as a non-combatant to the
other. Since Arjuna was given the first opportunity to choose, Duryodhana
was worried that Arjuna would choose the mighty army of Krishna. When
given the choice of either Krishna's army or Krishna Himself on their side,
Arjuna on behalf of the Pandavas chose Krishna, unarmed on his own,
relieving Duryodhana, who thought Arjuna to be the greatest fool. Later
Arjuna requested Krishna to be his charioteer, and Krishna, being an
intimate friend of Arjuna, agreed wholeheartedly, and hence received the
name Parthasarthy, or 'charioteer of the son of Pritha'. Both Duryodhana
and Arjuna returned satisfied.
While camping at a place called Upaplavya, in the territory of Virata, the
Pandavas gathered their armies. Contingents arrived from all parts of the
country and soon the Pandavas had a large force of seven divisions. The
Kauravas managed to raise an even larger army of eleven divisions.
Many kingdoms of ancient India such
as Dwaraka, Kasi, Kekaya, Magadha, Chedi, Matsya, Pandya, and
the Yadus of Mathura were allied with the Pandavas; while the allies of
the Kauravascomprised the kings of Pragjyotisha, Kalinga, Anga, Kekaya,
Sindhudesa, Mahishmati, Avanti in
Madhyadesa, Gandharas, Bahlikas, Kambojas (with the Yavanas, Sakas,
Trilinga,Tusharas) and many others.
