of preceptors. Kripa also, hath taken his birth
from the great Rishi Gautama. Born in a clump
of heath this illustrious one, I think, is incapable
of being slain. Then again, O king, the father,
mother and maternal uncle of Aswatthaman,—these
three,—are not born of woman’s womb.
I have that hero also on my side. All these mighty
car-warriors, O king, are like unto celestials, and
can, O bull of the Bharata race, inflict pain on Sakra
himself in battle. Arjuna is incapable of even
looking at any one of these singly. When united
together, these tigers among men will certainly slay
Dhananjaya. Karna also, I suppose, is equal unto
Bhishma and Drona and Kripa. O Bharata, Rama
himself had told him,—Thou art equal unto
me. Karna had two ear-rings born with him, of
great brilliance and beauty; for Sachi’s gratification
Indra begged them of that repressor of foes, in exchange,
O king, of an infallible and terrible shaft. How
would Dhananjaya, therefore, escape with life from
Karna who is protected by that arrow? My success,
therefore, O king, is as certain as a fruit held fast
in my own grasp. The utter defeat also of my foes
is already bruited about on earth. This Bhishma,
O Bharata, killeth every day ten thousand soldiers.
Equal unto him are these bowmen, Drona, Drona’s
son and Kripa. Then, O repressor of foes, the
ranks of the Samsaptaka warriors have made this resolution,—Either
we will slay Arjuna or that Ape-bannered warrior will
slay us. There are other kings also, who firm
in their resolve of slaying Savyasachin, regard him
as unequal to themselves. Why dost thou then
apprehend danger from the Pandavas? When Bhimasena
will be slain, O Bharata, who else (amongst them) will
fight? Tell me this, O repressor of foes, if
thou knowest any amongst the foes. The five brothers,
with Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki,—these seven
warriors of the enemy, O king, are regarded as their
chief strength. Those, however, amongst us, that
are our chief warriors, are Bhishma, Drona, Kripa,
Drona’s son, Karna, Somadatta, Vahlika, and Salya,
the king of Pragjyotisha, the two kings (Vindha and
Anuvinda) of Avanti, and Jayadratha; and then, O king,
thy sons Dussasana, Durmukha, Dussaha, Srutayu; Chitrasena,
Purumitra, Vivingsati, Sala, Bhurisravas, and Vikarna.
O king, I have assembled one and ten Akshauhinis.
The army of the enemy is less than mine, amounting
only to seven Akshauhinis. How then can I be
defeated? Vrihaspati hath said that an army which
is less by a third ought to be encountered. My
army, O king, exceedeth that of the foe by a third.
Besides, O Bharata, I know that the enemy hath many
defects, while mine, O lord, are endued with many good
virtues. Knowing all this, O Bharata, as also
the superiority of my force and the inferiority of
the Pandavas, it behoveth thee not to lose thy senses.
’Having said this, O Bharata, that conqueror of hostile chiefs, Duryodhana, asked Sanjaya again, anxious to known more about the doings of the Pandavas.’”