Vidura gets down the chariot to meet Sage Vyasa. Sage Vyasa listens to Vidura's woes and tells him that he is the incarnation of the Lord of Justice. Then he asks his disciple Vaishampayana to bring him a few fruits to quench his hunger. Vaishampayana brings a single mango, and the sage asks his disciple to halve the fruit so that both Vyasa and Vidura could have it. He tells Vidura that he has the answer to the problem and he would understand it once he contemplates on the issue on hand in a dispassionate way.
Kunti meets Bhishma and expresses her anguish. Bhishma admits his helplessness in not being able to defend her honor when Duryodhana smeared mud on her reputation. He promises Kunti his support for her cause.
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| Bhishma threatens to kill Vidura for suggesting the division of Hastinapura |
Dritarashtra asks Bhishma and Vidura to meet him. He tells them that he would not be able to think dispassionately because his mind is muddled with passion and anxiety for his sons. He tells that he has decided to yield the power of decision making to both of them and that he would abide by any decision they would take.
Gandhari who has been listening to this is worried. After the duo leave she asks the king why he has spoken in a hurry and has rescinded the power in favor of Bhishma and Vidura, despite knowing them to be partial to the Pandavas. The reason why he could not take any action in favor of Kauravas and against the Pandavas so far is because he is forced to be impartial becuase the power was in his hands. Now that he has relinquished the decision-making authority and has given it to Bhishma and Vidura, they would not be able to decide against the Kauravas even if they favored the Pandavas. They would be forced to be careful about not harming the interests of the Kauravas. By giving up the decision making power, Dritarashtra had actually gained the power to question any decision. Gandhari appreciates Dhritarshtra's clever move. Dritarashtra says he learned to strategize his moves from Shakuni. He expresses his happiness about Gandhari beginning to think like Kunti and keep the interests of her children foremost.
Bhishma and Vidura sit awake the entire night. As usual, Sulabha is worried about Vidura's insomniacal ways, and Vidura suggests that she should start to share his burden by offering constructive suggestions like Gandhari. Sulabha demurely says she isn't knowledgeable about political affairs. Vidura notices that she has cut a mango into several pieces that she was going to offer to the birds. Vidura tells her she could have left the entire fruit to the birds to pick and eat by themselves. Sulabha says this would lead to a fight amongst the birds. If the birds were given the cut fruits, each of them pick up a piece each and not fight for their share.
Vidura remembers a similar scene at Vyasa's ashram. He now feels happy about finding a solution to a problem that has been taxing his mind for several days.
Bhishma and Vidura meet Dritarashtra the next day. Bhishma suggests crowning Yudhishtra as the king and appointing Duryodhana as his prime minister who shares equal power with Yudhishtra so that both could rule the country together. Dritarashtra counters saying if Duryodhana did not agree to this proposal, he could be made the king, with Yudhishtra as the prime minister (maha mantri). Vidura protests that Kunti and the Pandavas would not agree to this and even if they do, this solution could never work. He elaborates that the Pandavas and Kauravas are at opposite poles from each other and their joint rule would become paralyzed in no time.
Vidura suggests that both Yudhishtra and Duryodhana be crowned as kings and given portions of Hastinapur to rule. Bhishma fierily opposes the suggestion, saying he would never allow the partition of Hastinapura. He has promised so to his father. Had anybody but Vidura suggested such a move, he would have killed them on the spot. So long as he is alive, Bhishma would never allow Hastinapura to be divided.
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