included in the slaughter, O sire, effecting our complete destruction, Janardana wisheth to bestow upon Yudhishthira the entire kingdom of the Kurus.  What should be done?  Shall we surrender, or fly, or shall we fight the foe giving up every hope of life?  If, indeed, we stand up against them, our defeat is certain, for all the kings of the earth are under Yudhishthira’s command.  The people of the realm are all annoyed with us, and all our friends also are angry with us.  All the kings of the earth are speaking ill of us, and especially all our friends and relatives.  There can be no fault in our surrender, for from time immemorial, the weaker party is known to conclude peace.  I grieve, however, for that lord of men, my, blind father, who may, on my account, be overtaken by woe and misery that is endless. [It is known to thee, O king, even before this, that thy other sons were all opposed to the foe for pleasing me only].  Those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Pandu, will, indeed, avenge their wrongs by destroying the whole race of king Dhritarashtra with all his counsellors.—­(It was thus that I addressed them, and) seeing me afflicted by great anxiety and my senses tortured, Drona and Bhishma and Kripa and Drona’s son then addressed me, saying, ’Fear not, O represser of foes, for if the foe wage hostilities with us, they will not be able to vanquish us when we take the field.  Every one of us is singly capable of vanquishing all the kings of the earth.  Let them come.  With keen-edged arrows we will curb their pride.  Inflamed with anger upon the death of his father, this Bhishma (amongst us) in days of old had conquered all the kings of the earth, on a single car.  O Bharata, his wrath excited, that best of the Kurus smote numberless ones amongst them, whereupon from fear, they are surrendered to this Devavrata seeking his protection.  That Bhishma, united with us, is still capable of vanquishing the foe in battle.  Let thy fears, therefore, O bull of the Bharata race, be all dispelled.’

“Duryodhana continued, ’Even this was the resolve then formed by these heroes of immeasurable energy.  The whole earth was formerly under the foe’s command.  Now, however, they are incapable of vanquishing us in battle, for our enemies, the sons of Pandu, are now without allies and destitute of energy.  O bull of the Bharata race, the sovereignty of the earth now resteth in me, and the kings also, assembled by me, are of the same mind with me in weal or woe.  Know thou, O best of the Kuru race, that all these kings, O slayer of foes, can, for my sake, enter into the fire or the sea.  They are all laughing at thee, beholding thee filled with grief and including in these lamentations like one out of his wits, and affrighted at the praises of the foe.  Every one amongst these kings is able to withstand the Pandavas.  Indeed, sire, every one regardeth himself; let thy fears, therefore, be dispelled.  Even Vasava himself is not capable of vanquishing