"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 Vrishnis 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 killed 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 Karna 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 mace, 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 (Karna). 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 Yudhishthira 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."