When he will behold in battle the golden car of Satyaki
of Madhu’s race, drawn by four white steeds,
then will that wretch of uncontrolled passions, the
son of Dhritarashtra, repent. When he will also
behold my terrible car, endued with the effulgence
of gold and bright gems, drawn by white steeds and
furnished with the banner bearing the device of the
Ape and guided by Kesava himself, then will that wretch
of uncontrolled passions repent. When he will
hear the fierce twang produced by the constant stretch
of the bow-string with fingers cased in leather gloves,—that
terrible twang, loud as the rolling of the thunder,
of my bow Gandiva wielded by me in the midst of the
great battle,—then will that wicked wretch,
the son of Dhritarashtra repent, beholding himself
abandoned by his troops, flying away like kine from
the field of battle in all directions, overwhelmed
with the darkness created by my arrowy downpour.
When he will behold innumerable keen-edged arrows,
furnished with beautiful wings, and capable of penetrating
into the very vitals, shot from the string of Gandiva,
like fierce and terrible flashes of lightning emitted
by the clouds, destroying enemies by thousands, and
devouring numberless steeds and elephants clad in mail,
then will the son of Dhritarashtra repent for this
war. When he will behold the arrows shot by the
enemy turned off, or turned back struck by my shafts,
or cut to pieces pierced transversely by my arrows,
then will the foolish son of Dhritarashtra repent
for this war. When broad-headed arrows shot by
my hands will strike off the heads of youthful warriors,
like birds picking off fruits from the tree-tops,
then will the son of Dhritarashtra repent for this
war. When he will behold excellent warriors of
his failing down from their cars, and elephants and
steeds rolling on the field, deprived of life by my
arrows, then will the son of Dhritarashtra repent for
this war. When he will behold his brothers, even
before fairly coming within the range of the enemy’s
weapons, die all around, without having achieved anything
in battle, then will the son of Dhritarashtra repent
for this war. When pouring my blazing shafts
incessantly, I will, like Death himself with mouth
wide-open, destroy on all sides multitudes of cars
and foot-soldiers, then will that wretch repent.
When he will behold his own troops, covered with the
dust raised by my car wander in all directions, torn
to pieces by Gandiva and reft of senses, then will
that wretch repent. When he will behold his whole
army running away in fear in all directions, mangled
in limbs, and bereft of senses; when he will behold
his steeds, elephants, and foremost of heroes slain;
when he will see his troops thirsty, struck with panic,
wailing aloud, dead and dying, with their animals
exhausted; and hair, bones and skulls lying in heaps
around like half-wrought works of the Creator, then
will that wretch repent. When he will behold
on my car, Gandiva, Vasudeva, and the celestial conch