“Vaisampayana continued, ’Hearing these words of the Rishi, Duryodhana contracted his eye-brows and began to breathe heavily.  And casting his eyes then on Radha’s son, he burst out into a loud laughter.  And setting at naught those words of the Rishi, that wicked wretch began to slap his thigh that resembled the trunk of an elephant.  And addressing the Rishi, he said, ’I am, O great Rishi, precisely what the Creator hath made me.  What is to be, must be.  What also hath been ordained in my case must happen, I cannot act otherwise.  What can these senseless declamations, therefore, avail?’”

SECTION CVI

“Janamejaya said, ’Interminably wedded to evil, blinded by avarice, addicted to wicked courses, resolved upon bringing destruction on his head, inspiring grief in the hearts of kinsmen, enhancing the woes of friends, afflicting all his well-wishers, augmenting the joys of foes, and treading the wrong path, why did not his friends seek to restrain him, and why also did not that great friend (of Kuru’s race), the holy One; with tranquil soul, or the Grandsire tell him anything from affection?’

“Vaisampayana said, ’Yes, the holy one did speak.  Bhishma also spoke what was beneficial.  And Narada too said much.  Listen to all that these said.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Narada said, ’Persons that listen to the counsels of friends are rare.  Friends again are rare that offer beneficial counsels, for a friend (in need of counsel) is never there where a friend (offering counsel) is.  O son of Kuru’s race, I think, the word of friends ought to be listened to.  Obstinacy ought to be avoided; for it is fraught with great evil.  In this connection is cited an old story regarding Galava’s having met with disgrace through obstinacy.  In ancient times, in order to test Viswamitra, who was then engaged in ascetic austerities Dharma personally came to him, having assumed the form of the Rishi, Vasishtha.  Thus assuming, O Bharata, the form of the one of the seven Rishis, and feigning himself hungry and desirous of eating, he came, O king, to the hermitage of Kausika.  Thereupon, Viswamitra struck with awe, began to cook Charu (which was a preparation of rice and milk).  And in consequence of the care he took in preparing that excellent food, he could not properly wait upon his guest.  And it was not till after the guest had dined on the food offered by the other hermits that Viswamitra succeeded in approaching him with the Charu he had cooked and which was still steaming.  ’I have already dined; wait here,’—­were the words that the holy one said.  And having said that the holy one went away.  And thereupon, the illustrious Viswamitra, O king, waited there.  And bearing that food on his head and holding it with his arms, that ascetic of rigid vow stood in his hermitage, still as a post, subsisting on air.  And as he stood there, an ascetic of the name of Galava, from motives