the foremost of all bows; Kesava is the foremost of all beings; the Sudarsana is the foremost of all weapons; and of cars, that furnished with the banner bearing the blazing Ape on it is the foremost.  That car of his, bearing all these and drawn by white steeds, will, O king, consume us all in battle like the upraised wheel of Time.  O bull of the Bharata race, his is even now the whole earth and he is the foremost of all kings, who hath Bhima and Arjuna to fight for him.  Beholding the host sinking in despair when smitten by Bhima, the Kauravas headed by Duryodhana will all meet destruction.  Struck with the fear of Bhima and Arjuna, the sons, O king, and the kings following them, will not, O lord, be able to win victory.  The Matsyas, the Panchalas, the Salways and the Surasenas, all decline to pay thee homage now and all disregard thee.  Acquainted with the energy of that wise king, all of them, however, have joined that son of Pritha, and for their devotion to him they are always opposed to thy sons.  He that, by his evil deeds, afflicted the sons of Pandu, who are all wedded to virtue and undeserving of destruction, he that hateth them even now,—­that sinful man, O monarch, who is none else than thy son,—­should, with all his adherents, be checked by all means.  It behoveth thee not to bewail in this strain.  Even this was said by myself as well as by the wise Vidura at the time of the gambling match at dice.  These thy lamentations in connection with the Pandavas, as if thou wert a helpless person, are, O king, all useless.’”

SECTION LV

“Duryodhana said, ’Fear not, O king.  Nor shouldest thou grieve for us.  O monarch, O lord, we are quite able to vanquish the foe in battle.  When the Parthas had been exiled to the woods, there came unto them the slayer of Madhu with a vast army in battle array and capable of crushing hostile kingdoms; and there also came unto them the Kekayas, and Dhrishtaketu, and Dhrishtadyumna of Pritha’s race and numerous other kings in their train; and all those great car-warriors were assembled in a place not far from Indraprastha; and having assembled together they censured thee and all the Kurus.  And O Bharata, all those warriors with Krishna at their head paid their homage unto Yudhishthira clad in deerskin and seated in their midst.  And all those kings then suggested to Yudhishthira that he should take back the kingdom.  And all of them desired to slay thee with all the followers.  And hearing of all this, O bull of the Bharata race, I addressed Bhishma and Drona and Kripa, struck with fear, O king, at the prospect of the ruin that threatened our kindred.  And I said unto them, ’I think the Pandavas will not abide by the agreement made by them; Vasudeva desireth our utter extinction.  I think also that with the exception of Vidura all of you will be slain, although the chief of the Kurus, Dhritarashtra, conversant with morality, will not be