things such as sons, kingdom, wives, grandsons, and relatives?  What good can possibly be in store for me on the accession of such a frightful danger?  Reflecting on every circumstance, I see the certain destruction of the Kurus.  That match at dice seems to be the cause of this great danger of the Kurus.  Alas, this sin was committed from temptation by foolish Duryodhana, desirous of wealth; I believe all this to be the untoward effect of ever-fleeting Time that bringeth on everything.  Tied to the wheel of Time, like its periphery, I am not capable of flying away from it.  Tell me, O Sanjaya, where shall I go?  What shall I do, and, how shall I do it?  These foolish Kauravas will all be destroyed, their Time having come.  Helplessly I shall have to hear the wailing of women when my hundred sons will all be slain.  Oh, how may death come upon me?  As a blazing fire in the summer season., when urged by the wind, consumeth dry grass, so will Bhima, mace in hand, and united with Arjuna, slay all on my side!’”

SECTION LII

“Dhritarashtra said, ’He whom we have never heard to speak a falsehood, he who hath Dhananjaya to fight for him, may have the sovereignty of even the three worlds.  Reflecting from day to day I do not find the warrior who may, on his car, advance in battle against the wielder of Gandiva.  When that wielder of Gandiva will shoot winged arrows and Nalikas and shafts capable of piercing the breast of warriors, there is no rival of his in battle.  If those bulls among men, those heroes,—­Drona and Karna,—­those foremost of mighty men, versed in weapons and invincible in battle, withstand him, the result may be very doubtful, but I am sure that the victory will not be mine.  Karna is both compassionate and heedless, and preceptor is aged and hath affection for this pupil.  Partha, however, is able and mighty, of firm grasp (of the bow).  Terrible will be the encounter between them, without resulting in any one’s defeat.  Conversant with weapons and endued with heroism, all of them have earned great fame.  They may relinquish the very sovereignty of the gods, but not the chance of winning victory.  There would be peace, without doubt, upon the fall of either of these two (Drona and Karna) or of Falguna, There is none, however, who can either slay or vanquish Arjuna.  Alas, how may his wrath that hath been excited against my foolish sons be pacified.  Others there are acquainted with the use of weapons, that conqueror are conquered; but it is heard that Falguna always conquereth.  Three and thirty years have passed away since the time, when Arjuna, having invited Agni, gratified him at Khandava, vanquishing all the celestials.  We have never heard of his defeat anywhere, O child.  Like the case of Indra, victory is always Arjuna’s, who hath for his charioteer in battle Hrishikesa, endued with the same character and position.  We hear that the two Krishnas on the same car and the stringed