Section CLXIV

"Sanjaya said,

'Having heard those words of Duryodhana, Gudakesha of great fame looked at the gambler’s son with eyes exceedingly red.

And eyeing Kesava also and tossing his massive arms, he addressed the gambler’s son, saying,

'He, who, relying on his own strength, summons his foes and fights with them fearlessly, is spoken of as a man. He, however, who, relying on the strength of others, summons his foes, is an infamous Kshatriya. In consequence of his incapacity, such a one is regarded as the lowest of men. Relying on the strength of others, you (O Duryodhana), being a coward thyself, desirest yet, O fool, to rebuke your foes. Having installed (Bhishma) the oldest of all the Kshatriyas, whose heart is ever bent in doing what is good, who has all his passions under control, and who is endued with great wisdom, in the command of your troops and made him liable to certain death, you indulgest in brag! O you of wicked understanding, your object (in doing this) is fully known to us, O wretch of your race! You have done it, believing that sons of Pandu will not, from kindness, slay the son of Ganga.

Know, however, O Dhritarashtra’s son, that I will slay that Bhishma first in the sight of all the bowmen, relying upon whose strength you indulgest in such boasts! O gambler’s son, repairing (hence) unto the Bharatas and approaching Duryodhana the son of Dhritarashtra, say unto him that Arjuna has said,—So be it! After this night will have passed away, the fierce encounter of arms will take place. Indeed, Bhishma of unfailing might and firmly adhering to truth, has told you in the midst of the Kurus these words, viz.,—I will slay the army of the Srinjayas and the Salveyas. Let that be my task. Excepting Drona I can slay the whole world.

You needest not, therefore, entertain any fear oil the Pandavas! At this, you, O Duryodhana, regardest the kingdom as your own and think that the Pandavas have sunk into distress. You have been filled with pride at this. You seest not, however, danger that is in your own self. I shall, therefore, in battle, first slay before your very eyes, Bhishma the eldest of the Kurus! At sunrise (tomorrow) at the head of the troops, with standards and cars protect you that leader of your forces firm in his promises. I shall, with my arrows, throw him down who is your refuge from his car before the eyes of you all! When the morrow comes, Suyodhana will know what it is to indulge in brag, beholding the grandsire covered with my arrows!

You shalt, O Suyodhana, very soon see the fulfilment of that which Bhimasena in anger had said, in the midst of the assembly, unto your brother, that man of limited sight, viz., Dussasana, wedded to unrighteousness, always quarrelsome, of wicked understanding, and cruel in behaviour. You shalt soon see the terrible effects of vanity and pride, of wrath and arrogance, of bragging and heartlessness, cutting words and acts, of aversion from righteousness, and sinfulness and speaking ill of others, of transgressing the counsels of the aged, of oblique sight, and of all kinds of vices!

O scum of humanity, how canst you, O fool, hope for either life or kingdom, if I, having Vasudeva for my second, give way to anger? After Bhishma and Drona will have been quieted and after the Suta’s son will have been overthrown, you shalt be hopeless of life, kingdom and sons! Hearing of the slaughter of your brothers and sons, and struck mortally by Bhimasena, you will, O Suyodhana, recollect all your misdeeds!—Tell him, O gambler’s son, that I do not vow a second time. I tell you truly that all this will be true!—Departing hence, O Uluka, say, O sire, these words of mine, unto Suyodhana! It behoves you not to apprehend my behaviour by the light of your own! Know the difference there is between your conduct and mine, which is even the difference between truth and falsehood! I do not wish harm to even insects and ants.

What shall I say, therefore, of my ever wishing harm to my kinsmen? O sire, it was for this that five villages only were solicited by me! Why, O you of wicked understanding, dost you not see the dire calamity that threatens you? Your soul overwhelmed with lust, you indulgest in vauntings from defectiveness of understanding. It is for this also you acceptest not the beneficial words of Vasudeva. What need now of much talk? Fight (against us) with all your friends! Say, O gambler’s son, unto the Kuru prince who always does what is injurious to me (these words also, viz.,)—Your words have been heard; their sense also has been understood. Let it be as you wishest!'

'O son of king, Bhimasena then once more said these words,

'O Uluka, say those words of mine unto the wicked-minded, deceitful, and unrighteous Suyodhana, who is an embodiment of sin, who is wedded to guile, and whose behaviour is exceedingly wicked. You shalt have to dwell in the stomach of a vulture or in Hastinapura. O scum of human kind, I shall assuredly fulfil the vow I have made in the midst of the assembly. I swear in the name of Truth, slaying Dussasana in battle, I shall quaff his life-blood! Slaying also your (other) brothers, I shall smash your own thighs. Without doubt, O Suyodhana, I am the destroyer of all the sons of Dhritarashtra, as Abhimanyu is of all the (younger) princes! I shall by my deeds, gratify you all! Hearken once more to me. O Suyodhana, slaying you, with all your uterine brothers, I shall strike the crown of your head with my foot in the sight of the king Yudhishthira the Just!'

'Nakula, then, O king, said these words,

'O Uluka, say unto Dhritarashtra’s son, Suyodhana, of Kuru’s race that all the words uttered by him have now been heard and their sense understood. I shall, O Kauravya, do all that you have commended me to do.'

'And Sahadeva also, O monarch, said these words of grave import,

'O Suyodhana, it will all be as you wishest! You shalt have to repent, O great king, along with your children, kinsmen, and counsellors, even as you are now bragging joyously in view of our sufferings.'

'Then Virata and Drupada, both venerable in years, said these words unto Uluka,

'It is even our wish that we become slaves of a virtuous person! Whether, however, we are slaves or masters, will be known tomorrow, as also who owns what manliness!'

'After them, Sikhandin said these words unto Uluka,

'You must say unto king Duryodhana who is always addicted to sinfulness, these words, viz.,—See, O king, what fierce deed is perpetrated by me in battle! I shall slay grandsire of thine from his car, relying upon whose prowess you are certain of success in battle! Without doubt, I have been created by the high-souled Creator for the destruction of Bhishma. I shall assuredly slay Bhishma in the sight of all bowmen.'

'After this, Dhrishtadyumna also said unto Uluka, the gambler’s son, these words,

'Say unto prince Suyodhana these my words, viz., I shall slay Drona with all his followers and friends. And I shall do a deed which none else will ever do.'

'King Yudhishthira once more said these high words fraught with clemency, viz.,—

'O monarch, I never desire the slaughter of my kinsmen. O you of wicked understanding, it is from your fault that all this will assuredly take place. I shall, of course, have to sanction the fulfilment of their great feats by all these (around me). Go hence, O Uluka, without delay or stay here, O sire, for, blessed be you, we too are your kinsmen.'

'Uluka, then, O king, thinking permission of Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, went thither where king Suyodhana was. Thus addressed, the gambler’s son carefully bearing in mind all he had heard, returned to the place from which he had come. And arriving there, he fully represented unto the vindictive Duryodhana all that Arjuna had charged him with. And he also faithfully communicated unto Dhritarashtra’s son the words of Vasudeva, of Bhima, of king Yudhishthira the Just, of Nakula and Virata and Drupada, O Bharata and the words of Sahadeva and Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin, and the words also that were spoken (subsequently) by Kesava and Arjuna. And having listened to the words of the gambler’s son, Duryodhana, that bull of Bharata’s race, ordered Dussasana and Karna and Sakuni, O Bharata, and their own troops and the troops of the allies, and all the (assembled) kings, to be arrayed in divisions and be ready for battle before sunrise (next morrow).

Messengers then, instructed by Karna and hastily mounting on cars and camels and mares and good steeds endued with great fleetness, quickly rode through the encampment. And at Karna’s command they promulgated the order—Array (yourselves) before sunrise tomorrow!'"