"Bhishma said, 'Drona's son observeth well, and Kripa too observeth
rightly. As for Karna, it is only out of regard for the duties of the
Kshatriya order that he desireth to fight. No man of wisdom can blame
the preceptor. I, however, am of opinion that fight we must, considering
both the time and the place. Why should not that man be bewildered who
hath five adversaries effulgent as five suns, who are heroic combatants
and who have just emerged from adversity? Even those conversant with
morality are bewildered in respect of their own interests. It is for
this, O king, that I tell thee this, whether my words be acceptable to
you or not. What Karna said unto thee was only for raising our
(drooping) courage. As regards thyself, O preceptor's son, forgive
everything. The business at hand is very grave. When the son of Kunti
hath come, this is not the time for quarrel. Everything should now be
forgiven by thyself and the preceptor Kripa. Like light in the sun, the
mastery of all weapons doth reside in you. As beauty is never separated
from _Chandramas_, so are the _Vedas_ and the _Brahma_ weapon both
established in you. It is often seen that the four _Vedas_ dwell in one
object and _Kshatriya_ attributes in another. We have never heard of
these two dwelling together in any other person than the preceptor of
the Bharata race and his son. Even this is what I think. In the
_Vedantas_, in the _Puranas_, and in old histories, who save Jamadagni,
O king, would be Drona's superior? A combination of the _Brahma_ weapon
with the _Vedas_,--this is never to be seen anywhere else. O preceptor's
son, do thou forgive. This is not the time for disunion. Let all of us,
uniting, fight with Indra's son who hath come. Of all the calamities
that may befall an army that have been enumerated by men of wisdom, the
worst is disunion among the leaders.' Aswatthaman said, 'O bull among
men, these thy just observations, need not be uttered in our presence;
the preceptor, however, filled with wrath, had spoken of Arjuna's
virtues. The virtues of even an enemy should be admitted, while the
faults of even one's preceptor may be pointed out; therefore one should,
to the best of his power, declare the merits of a son or a disciple.'
"Duryodhana said, 'Let the preceptor grant his forgiveness and let peace
be restored. If the preceptor be at one with us, whatever should be done
(in view of the present emergency) would seem to have been already
done.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Then, O Bharata, Duryodhana assisted by Karna
and Kripa, and the high-souled Bhishma pacified Drona.
"Drona said, 'Appeased I have already been at the words first spoken by
Bhishma, the son of Santanu. Let such arrangements be made that Partha
may not be able to approach Duryodhana in battle. And let such
arrangements be made that king Duryodhana may not be captured by the
foe, in consequence either of his rashness or want of judgment. Arjuna
hath not, to be sure, revealed himself before the expiry of the term of
exile. Nor will he pardon this act (of ours) today, having only
recovered the kine. Let such arrangements, therefore, be made that he
may not succeed in attacking Dhritarashtra's son and defeating our
troops. Like myself (who am doubtful of the completion of period of
exile) Duryodhana also had said so before. Bearing it in mind, it
behoveth the son of Ganga to say what is true.'"