“Vyasa said, By good luck, Phalguna liveth still although he had encountered Karna in battle.  Indeed, Karna had kept his dart, desirous of slaying Savyasachin, O bull of Bharata’s race, by good luck Jishnu did not engage in single combat with Karna.  Each of them in that case challenging the other, would have shot his celestial weapons on all sides.  The weapons of the Suta’s son would have been destroyed by Arjuna.  The former then afflicted by the latter, would certainly have hurled Indra’s dart in that battle.  O Yudhishthira!  O foremost one of Bharata’s race, (if this had come to pass), then great would have been thy grief.  O giver of honours, by good luck the Rakshasa hath been slain in battle by the Suta’s son.  Indeed, Ghatotkacha hath been slain by death himself making the dart of Vasava an instrument only.  For thy good it is, O sire, that the Rakshasa hath been slain in battle.  Do not yield to anger, O foremost one of Bharata’s race, and do not set thy heart on grief.  O Yudhishthira, this is the end of all creatures in this world.  Uniting with thy brothers and all the illustrious kings (of the host), fight with the Kauravas in battle, O Bharata!  On the fifth day from this, the earth will be thine.  O tiger among men, always think of virtue.  With a cheerful heart, O son of Pandu, practise kindness (to all creatures), penances, charity, forgiveness, and truth.  Victory is there where righteousness is.  Having said these words unto the son of Pandu, Vyasa made himself invisible there and then.’"[241]

SECTION CLXXXIV

(Drona-vadha Parva)

“Sanjaya said, ’Thus addressed by Vyasa, the heroic king Yudhishthira the just refrained, O bull of Bharata’s race, from himself seeking to slay Karna.  In consequence, however of the slaughter of Ghatotkacha by the Suta’s son that night, the king became filled with grief and anger.  Beholding thy vast host held in check by Bhima, Yudhishthira, addressing Dhrishtadyumna, said, ’Resist the Pot-born!  O scorcher of foes, thou hadst, clad in mail, and armed with bow and arrows and scimitar, sprung from fire, for the destruction of Drona!  Cheerfully rush thou to battle, thou needst have no fear.  Let also Janamejaya and Sikhandin and Durmukha’s son and Yasodhara, rush in wrath against the Pot-born on every side.  Let Nakula and Sahadeva and the sons of Draupadi and the Prabhadrakas, and Drupada and Virata with their sons and brothers, and Satyaki and the Kaikeyas and the Pandavas and Dhananjaya, rush with speed against Bharadwaja’s son, from desire of slaying him.  Let also all our car-warriors and all the elephants and horses we have, and all our foot-soldiers, overthrow the mighty car-warrior Drona in battle.’  Thus ordered by the illustrious son of Pandu, all of them rushed impetuously against the Pot-born from desire of slaughtering him.  Drona, however, that foremost of all wielders of arms, received in battle all those Pandava warriors thus