tired, and exceedingly anxious about the king and indulging in such thoughts as these, “The mighty son of Dhritarashtra, having solidified the waters of the lake, lay stretched at the bottom.  The Pandavas have reached that spot, from desire of battle.  How will the battle take place?  What will become of the king?’ Thinking of these things, O king, those heroes, Kripa and the others, liberated their horses from their cars and prepared to rest there for some time.’”

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“Sanjaya said, ’After those three car-warriors had left that spot, the Pandavas arrived at that lake within which Duryodhana was resting himself.  Having reached the banks of the Dvaipayana lake, O chief of Kuru’s race, they beheld that receptacle of waters enchanted by thy son.  Then Yudhishthira, addressing Vasudeva, said, “Behold, the son of Dhritarashtra hath applied his power of illusion to these waters!  Having enchanted the waters, he lieth within them.  He can have now no fear (of injury) from man!  Having invoked a celestial illusion, he is now within the waters!  By an act of deception, that wight conversant with every deception hath sought this refuge!  He shall not, however, escape me with life!  Even if the wielder of the thunderbolt himself aid him in battle, people, O Madhava, shall yet behold him slain today!’

“’Vasudeva said, “With thy own powers of illusion, O Bharata, destroy this illusion of Duryodhana who is an adept in it!  One conversant with illusion should be slain with illusion!  This is the truth, O Yudhishthira!  With acts and means and applying thy power of illusion to these waters, slay, O chief of the Bharatas, this Suyodhana, who is the very soul of illusion!  With acts and means Indra himself slew the Daityas and the Danavas!  Vali himself was bound by that high-souled one (Upendra), with the aid of many acts and means!  The great Asura Hiranyaksha, as also that other one, Hiranyakasipu, was slain by the aid of many acts and means.  Without doubt, O king, Vritra also was slain by the aid of acts!  Similarly was the Rakshasa Ravana of Pulastya’s race, with his relatives and followers, slain by Rama!  Relying upon acts and contrivances, do thou also display thy powers!  Those two ancient Daityas, Taraka and Viprachitti of great energy, were in ancient times, O king, slain by the aid of acts and means!  Similarly, Vatapi and Ilwala, and Trisiras, O lord, and the Asuras Sunda and Upasunda, were all slain by the aid of means!  Indra himself enjoys heaven by the aid of acts and means!  Acts are very efficacious, O king, and nothing else so, O Yudhishthira!  Daityas and Danavas and Rakshasas and kings had been slain by the aid of acts and means.  Do thou take therefore, the help of act!"’