Satyaki said, “O Rama! this is not the time of lamentation; let us do
that which is proper and suited to the present occasion, although
Yudhishthira doth not speak a single word. Those who have persons to look
after their welfare do not undertake anything of themselves; they have
others to do their work, as Saivya and others did for Yayati. Likewise, O
Rama! those who have appointed functionaries to undertake their work on
their own responsibility, as the leaders of men, they may be said to have
real patrons, and they meet with no difficulty, like helpless beings. How
is it that when the sons of Pritha have for their patrons these two men,
Rama and Krishna, and the two others, Pradyumna and Samva, together with
myself,--these patrons being able to protect all the three worlds,--how
is it that the son of Pritha is living in the wood with his brothers? It
is fit that this very day the army of the Dasarhas should march out,
variously armed and with checkered mails. Let Dhritarashtra’s sons be
overwhelmed with the forces of the Vrishinis and let them go with their
friends to the abode of the god of death. Let him alone who wields the
bow made of the horn (Krishna), thou alone, if roused, wouldst be able to
surround even the whole of this earth. I ask thee to kill Dhritarashtra’s
son with all his men, as the great Indra, the lord of the gods kill
Vritra. Arjuna, the son of Pritha, is my brother, and also my friend, and
also my preceptor, and is like the second self of Krishna. It is for this
that men desire for a worthy son, and that preceptor seeks a pupil who
would contradict him not. It is for this that the time is come for that
excellent work, which is the best of all tasks and difficult to perform.
I shall baffle Duryodhana’s volleys of arms by my own excellent weapons.
I shall overpower all in the field of battle. I shall in my wrath cut off
his head with my excellent shafts, little inferior to snakes and poison
and fire. And with the keen edge of my sword, I shall forcibly sever his
head from the trunk, in the field of battle; then I shall kill his
followers, and Duryodhana, and all of Kuru’s race. O son of Rohini! let
the followers of Bhima look at me with joy at their heart, when I shall
keep up the weapons of war in the field of battle, and when I shall go on
slaying all the best fighting men on the side of the Kurus, as at the end
of time fire will burn vast heaps of straw. Kripa and Drona and Vikarna
and Kama are not able to bear the keen arrows shot by Pradyumna. I know
the power of Arjuna’s son--he conducts himself like the son of Krishna in
the field of battle. Let Samva chastise by the force of his arms
Dussasana; let him destroy by force Dussasana and his charioteer and his
car. In the field of battle when the son of Jamvavati becomes
irresistible in fight, there is nothing which can withstand his force.
The army of the demon Samvara was speedily routed by him when only a boy.
By him was killed in fight Asvachakra, whose thighs were round, and whose
muscular arms were of exceeding length. Who is there that would be able
to go forward to the car of Samva, who is great in fight, when mounted on
a car? As a mortal coming under the clutches of death can never escape;
so who is there that once coming under his clutches in the field of
battle, is able to return with his life? The son of Vasudeva will burn
down by the volleys of his fiery shafts all the hostile troops, and those
two warriors, Bhishma and Drona,--who are great on a car, and Somadatta
surrounded by all his sons. What is there in all the world including the
gods, which Krishna cannot encounter on an equal footing, when he takes
up the weapons of war, wields in his hands excellent arrows, arms himself
with his dice, and thus becomes unrivalled in fight? Then let Aniruddha
also take up in his hand his buckler and sword, and let him cover the
surface of the earth with Dhritarashtra’s sons, their heads separated
from their trunks, their bodies devoid of all consciousness as in a
sacrificial rite the altar is overspread with sacred grass placed upon
the same. And Gada and Uluka, and Vahuka and Bhanu and Nitha and the
young Nishatha valiant in battle and Sarana, and Charudeshna,
irresistible in war, let them perform feats befitting their race. Let the
united army of the Satwatas and Suras, together with the best soldiers of
the Vrishnis, the Bhojas, and the Andhakas, kill those sons of
Dhritarashtra in the field of battle and let them swell their expanded
fame throughout the world. Then let Abhimanyu rule the world so long as
this most excellent of virtuous men, the magnanimous Yudhishthira, may be
engaged in fulfilling his vow,--the vow that was accepted and declared by
him, the most righteous of Kuru’s race, on the occasion of the famous
play at dice. Afterwards the virtuous king will protect the earth, all
his foes defeated in battle by shafts which will be discharged by us.
Then there will remain no sons of Dhritarashtra on earth,--nor the son of
the charioteer (Kama). This is the most important work for us to do, and
this will surely lead to fame.”
“Krishna said, ‘O scion of the race of Madhu! no doubt what thou sayest
is true; we accept thy words, O thou of courage that is never weak! But
this bull of the Kuru race (Yudhishthira) would never accept the
sovereignty of the earth, unless it were won by the prowess of his own
arms. Neither for the sake of pleasure, nor from fear, nor from
covetousness, would Yudhishthira ever renounce the rules of the caste;
nor would these two heroes, who are mighty, when mounted on a car--Bhima
and Arjuna; nor the twin brothers, nor Krishna, the daughter of Drupada.
He possessing the appetite of a wolf (Bhima), and the winner of riches
(Arjuna), are both unrivalled in fight throughout the world. And why
should not this king rule over the entire world when he hath the two sons
of Madri to espouse his cause? The high-souled ruler of Panchala together
with the Kekaya king, and we also should put forth our united strength,
and then would the enemies of Yudhisthira be annihilated.’”
“Yudhishthira said, ‘It is not strange that thou shouldst speak thus, O
scion of Madhu’s race! but to me truth seems to be the first
consideration, above that of my sovereign power itself. But it is Krishna
alone who precisely knoweth what I am; and it is I alone who precisely
know what Krishna (really) is. O thou endued with valour! O scion of
Madhu’s race! as soon as he will perceive that the time is come for feats
of bravery, then, O most valiant of Sini’s race, he also of beautiful
hair (Krishna) will defeat Suyodhana. Let the brave men of the Dasarha
race go back today. They are my patrons; and the foremost of human
beings, they have visited me here. O ye of immeasurable strength! never
fall off from the path of virtue. I shall see you again, when ye will be
happily gathered together.’
“Then after mutual greeting and obeisance to seniors, and having embraced
the youthful, those valiant men of the Yadu race and the sons of Pandu
separated. And the Yadus reunited to their home; and the Pandavas
continued their journey to the sacred spots. Then having parted with
Krishna, the virtuous king, accompanied by his brothers and servants, and
also by Lomasa, went to the sacred river Payosini. Its fine landing place
was constructed by the king of Vidarbha. And he began to dwell on the
banks of the Payosini, whose waters were mingled with the distilled Soma
juice. There the high-souled Yudhishthira was greeted with excellent
laudatory, terms by numerous leaders of the twice-born class, who were
delighted to see him there.”