He was a king of virtue and wisdom, the foremost among the Pandavas, who, even while fighting, did not transgress against Duryodhana in battle. Alongside him stood the virtuous and accomplished twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, equal in strength and valor, who faced Duryodhana’s younger brothers on the battlefield. When news spread that the sons of Pandu—calm, composed, and radiant with the very form of Brahma—were present, all the assembled kings and princes were struck with wonder. The citizens and monarchs alike were amazed, for it was widely believed that Kunti and her sons had perished in the house of lac. Now, seeing them alive, the illustrious Kunti and the gathered rulers felt as if her sons had been born anew among all the kings and their realms. A wave of condemnation swept through the assembly, directed at Bhishma and King Dhritarashtra, for the exceedingly cruel deed carried out by Purocana. They lamented that such righteous sons of Pritha—accomplished in conduct and devoted to their mother’s welfare—were targeted for destruction. After the svayamvara had concluded, the sons of Dhritarashtra, influenced by Karna and Shakuni, the son of Suvala, held counsel together. Shakuni spoke, “One enemy must be weakened, another oppressed; in my view, for the sake of all Kshatriyas, the sons of Kunti must be destroyed. If you depart defeated without any agreement, your minds will be troubled. Now is the time and the place to seize the Pandavas; if you do not act, you will become objects of ridicule throughout the world.” He continued, “The king whom they have sought as refuge and with whom they wish to dwell is, in my opinion, Drupada—a ruler of little strength and power. As long as the foremost among the Vrishnis, the mighty Shishupala, the tiger among men, and the valiant Chedi remain unaware of the Pandavas’ presence, we have an opportunity. But once the great-souled Drupada has united with them, they will become even more difficult to overcome—there is no doubt.” Shakuni pressed his case: “As long as all the kings remain unsettled, only then should we decide upon the destruction of the Pandavas. If, like Bhima escaping the house of lac, they are freed again from danger, as from the jaws of a poisonous serpent, then great fear will come upon us. For those who have arrived here and have dwelt long, it is difficult to stand against them, just as it is between two mighty elephants. Strike down the gathered forces before they fall upon our Kuru army like birds. Let this city be destroyed with a full assault before all converge—this is my opinion, and the time has come.” Hearing these words, spoken with malice by Shakuni, Somadatta rose and addressed the assembly with wisdom: “One must understand the seven elements of one’s own and another’s nature, as well as place, time, and the six qualities of policy. Carefully consider position, growth, decline, land, allies, and prowess, and only then attack an enemy afflicted by calamity.” He continued, “Therefore, I see the Pandavas as endowed with friends and treasury, established in strength and valor, and beloved by their people through their own deeds. Arjuna, by his very appearance, delights the eyes and hearts of all beings; by his sweet speech, he charms the ears of men. The people follow him not merely by destiny, but because he accomplishes whatever is pleasing to their minds. Partha never speaks anything improper, attached, false, or displeasing—his speech is always beautiful.” Somadatta declared, “Endowed with these virtues and royal marks, I do not see anyone capable of overthrowing the Pandavas by force. Great power and influence, abundant counsel, and energetic strength reside in the sons of Pritha. Yudhishthira knows the strength of hereditary allies and the proper time; he acts by conciliation, gifts, division, and, when necessary, punishment. Therefore, my opinion is that enemies should be conquered not by anger, but by winning them over with wealth, as well as allies and forces.” He concluded, “Having established a righteous foundation, the Pandava enjoys the land; I think even the gods together with Indra could not overcome the Pandavas. For whose sake Krishna and Sankarshana are always engaged; if you consider it beneficial, or if you agree with my opinion—let us, after reaching an understanding with all the Pandavas, depart as we have come, even though there are lofty gateways, towers, and hundreds of inner chambers.” Somadatta then described the city: “This excellent and well-guarded city is surrounded by water, and filled with grass, grain, fuel, machines, weapons, and medicinal herbs. It is equipped with many gates, storerooms, and altars; with massive wheels raised by Bhima’s strength, and enclosed by great towers. With strong ramparts and outworks, crowded with hundreds of engines of war, the embankment is made of bricks, wood, and earth. Within, the city is honored by heroic builders of the ramparts and shines with the presence of Pandara, born in the city. It is surrounded on all sides by a great wall of palmyra trees; the people of the great-souled Drupada are loyal. All those within and without, who have been won over by gifts and respect, are loyal; and these are restrained by kings of mighty valor.” He warned, “The Dasharhas, bearing weapons raised high, will come; therefore, let us make peace between the sons of Dhritarashtra and the Pandavas.” Thus, in the midst of tension and counsel, the fate of the Pandavas and the course of the Kuru dynasty hung in the balance, as wisdom and ambition battled for the hearts of kings.