Duryodhana said: -
1. Why do you consider victory to be the sole monopoly of the sons of Pritha who are similar to men and had their births similar to those of all men.
2. We and they too are equal in heroism and in prowess, are similar in age, in intelligence and in knowledge of the holy books.
3. In weapons, in the science of fighting, in agility and in skill, all are of the same species; all had our birth in human beings.
4. O grandfather, how then do you know victory to go to the sons of Pritha? I do not depend on Drona, nor on Kripa, nor on the son of Valhika,
5. Nor on the other kings. Myself, Karna the son of Vikartana and my brother Dushasana by our prowess will win.
6. We shall kill the five sons of Pandu in battle by means of sharp-edged arrows; then, O king, with a great sacrificial ceremony with large present of many sorts
7. Shall we worship the Brahmanas and with cows and heroes and wealth. When like deer dragged by a net or men unable to swim by water shall our soldiers by means of their arms in the battle
8. Drag the enemies and when they (the enemies) see the vast crowds of chariots, and elephants, then will the sons of Pandu leave off their pride and not they alone but Keshava also.
Vidura said: -
9. Old persons who are unfailing in their predictions say that in this world self-control is excellent; especially in a Brahmana is it an eternal and necessary virtue.
10. He gets success, forgiveness and the fruits of his gifts whose self-control pursues the path of gifts, asceticism, knowledge and study.
11. Self-control increases energy; self-control is excellent and holy. Absolved from his sins and having his energy increased (by self-control) a man obtains great results.
12. Those who are devoid of self-control are ever feared by creatures as Rakshasas, for whose check Kshatriyas were created by Him who is born of Himself.
13. For all the four stages of life, self-control is a very good vow; I speak of the characteristics of him whose life is one of self-control.
14. They are forgiveness, wisdom, benevolence, equality, regard for all virtues, truth, guilelessness, subjugation of the senses, patience, mildness, modesty and steadiness,
15-16. The reverse of miserliness, mildness, contentment, and reverence. Desire, avarice, vanity, envy, sleep, fairness of speech, self-love, jealousy, and grief -these are not yielded to by those who have self-control. Simplicity, honesty and purity of mind are the characteristics of a man of self-control.
17. One not given to avarice, who is desirous to obtain little, who is indifferent to objects of desire, and who is grave as the sea, is known as the man of self-restraint.
18. That wise man who is of good habits in life of a blameless disposition is satisfied with his soul and knows his own nature, and after commanding respect in this world he is well provided for after death.
19. He that has no fear from other creatures and from whom other creatures have no fear, is a man of ripe wisdom and is known as the best of human beings.
20. People are not made unhappy by him who makes all creatures his friends and seeks their good; he is calm and grave as the ocean and is pleased (with everything) owing to his wisdom.
21. Those who have self-control are of peaceful habits and rejoice, regulating their life by the example of deeds done in olden times and deeds in the present by the honest.
22. Or living in this world, and renouncing all work, the man of self-control, pleased with all by his wisdom, roams about in the world, waiting for death and annihilating into Brahma.
23. As the passage of birds soaring in the sky cannot be observed, so also the path of that sage who is contented in consequence of his wisdom is not observed.
24. He who desirous of emancipation leaves his home has in heaven bright regions assigned to him for ever.
Thus ends the sixty-third chapter, speech of Vidura, in the Yanasandhi of the Udyoga Parva.