Section 68

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing that Karna of mighty energy was still alive, Pritha’s son Yudhishthira of immeasurable energy, exceedingly angry with Phalguna and burning with the shafts of Karna, said these words unto Dhananjaya, "O sire, your army is fled and has been beaten in a way that is scarcely honourable! Inspired with fear and deserting Bhima, you have come hither since you have been unable to slay Karna. You have, by entering her womb, rendered the conception of Kunti abortive. You have acted improperly by deserting Bhima, because you were unable to slay the Suta’s son. You had, O Partha, said unto me in the Dvaita woods that you wouldst, on a single car, slay Karna. Why, then, through fear of Karna hast come hither, avoiding Karna and deserting Bhima? If in the Dvaita woods you had said unto me, 'O king, I shall not be able to fight with Karna,' we would then, O Partha, have made other arrangements suitable to the circumstances. Having promised me the slaughter of Karna, you have not, O hero, kept that promise. Bringing us into the midst of foes, why hast you broken us into pieces by throwing us down on a hard soil? Expecting diverse good things and benefits from you, O Arjuna, we have always uttered blessings on you. All those expectations, however, O prince, have proved vain like those of persons expectant of fruit getting instead of a tree burthened only with flowers! Like a fish-hook hid within a piece of meat, or poison overlaid with food, you didst, for disappointing us at last, point out destruction in the shape of kingdom unto ourselves covetous of kingdom! For these thirteen years, O Dhananjaya, we have, from hope, lived relying on you, like seeds sown on earth in expectation of the showers sent by the gods in season! Even these were the words that a voice in the skies had said unto Pritha on the seventh day after your birth, O you of foolish understanding! 'This son of thine that is born will have the prowess of Vasava himself! He will vanquish all his heroic foes! Endued with superior energy, he will at Khandava vanquish all the celestials united together and diverse other creatures. This one will subjugate the Madras, the Kalingas, and the Kaikeyas. This one will, in the midst of many kings, slay the Kurus. There will be no bowman superior to him, and no creature will ever be able to vanquish him. With his senses under control, and having obtained mastery over all branches of knowledge, this one, by merely desiring it, will bring all creatures under subjection to himself. This high-souled son that is born of you, O Kunti, will in beauty be the rival of Soma, in speed of the god of wind, in patience of Meru, in forgiveness of Earth, in splendour of Surya, in prosperity of the Lord of treasures, in courage of Sakra, and in might of Vishnu. He will be the slayer of all foes like Vishnu, the son of Aditi. Endued with immeasurable energy, he will be celebrated for the destruction he will deal to foes and the success he will win for friends. He will, besides, be the founder of a race!' Even thus, in the skies, on the summit of the Satasringa mountains, in the hearing of many ascetics, that voice spoke. All that, however, has not come to pass. Alas, it shows that the gods even may speak untruths! Hearing also the words of praise always uttered about you by many foremost of Rishis, I never expected that Suyodhana would win success and prosperity or that you thyself wouldst be afflicted with the fear of Karna! You ridest upon an excellent car constructed by the celestial artificer himself, with axles that do not creak, and with standard that bears the ape. You bearest a sword attached to your belt of gold and silk. This your bow Gandiva is full six cubits long. You have Keshava for your driver. Why, then, through fear of Karna hast you come away from battle, O Partha? If, O you of wicked soul, you had given this bow to Keshava and become his driver, then Keshava could have (by this time) slain the fierce Karna like the lord of the Maruts (Sakra) slaying with his thunder the Asura Vritra. If you are unable to resist the fierce son of Radha today, as he is careering in battle, give this your Gandiva today to some other king, that may be your superior in (the use and knowledge of) weapons. If that be done, the world will not then behold us bereft of sons and wives, deprived of happiness in consequence of the loss of kingdom, and sunk, O son of Pandu, in an unfathomable hell of great misery. It would have been better for you if you had never been born in the womb of Kunti, or having taken your birth there, if you had come out on the fifth month an abortion, than to have, O prince, thus come away from battle, O you of wicked soul! Fie on your Gandiva, fie on the might of your arms, fie on your inexhaustible arrows! Fie on your banner with the gigantic ape on it, and fie on your car given you by the god of fire!"'"