“Dhritarashtra said, ’O Sanjaya, this my son speaketh like a mad man, for he is incapable of vanquishing in battle Yudhishthira the just.  This Bhishma truly knoweth the might of the famous, powerful, virtuous, and high-souled Pandavas and their sons, for he doth not wish a battle with those illustrious ones.  But tell me again O Sanjaya, of their movements.  Tell me, who are inciting those illustrious and mighty bowmen endued with great activity, like priests enkindling (Homa) fires with libations of clarified butter?’

“Sanjaya said, ’O Bharata, Dhrishtadyumna is always urging the Pandavas to war, saying, ’Fight ye, best among the Bharatas.  Do not entertain the least fear.  All those rulers of the earth, who, courted by Dhritarashtra’s son, will become in that fierce encounter target of showers of weapons,—­indeed, I alone will encounter all those angry kings assembled together with their relatives, like a whale seizing little fishes from the water.  Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Karna and Drona’s son and Salya and Suyodhana,—­them all I withstand, like the bank resisting the swelling sea.’  Unto him saying thus, the virtuous king Yudhishthira said, ’The Panchalas and the Pandavas wholly depend upon thy prowess and steadiness.  Rescue us safely from the war.  I know, O mighty-armed one, that thou art firm in the duties of the Kshatriya order.  Thou art, indeed, quite competent to smite alone the Kauravas.  When the latter, eager for fight, will stand before us, what thou, O repressor of foes, wilt arrange, will certainly be for our good.  Even this is the opinion of those acquainted with the scriptures, that the hero, who, displaying his prowess, relieth those that after the rout run away from the battle-field, seeking for protection, is to be bought with a thousand.  Thou, O bull among men, art brave, mighty, and powerful.  Without doubt, thou art that deliverer of those that are over-powered with fear on the field of battle.’  And when the righteous Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said this, Dhrishtadyumna fearlessly addressed me in these words, ’Go thou, O Suta, without delay, and say unto all those that have come to fight for Duryodhana, say unto the Kurus of the Pratipa dynasty with the Vahlikas, the son of Saradwata and Karna and Drona, and Drona’s son, and Jayadratha, and Dussasana, and Vikarna and king Duryodhana, and Bhishma,—­Do not suffer yourselves to be slain by Arjuna, who is protected by the celestials.  Before that happens, let some good man approach Yudhishthira and entreat that son of Pandu, that best of men, to accept the kingdom (surrendered by them) without delay.  There is no warrior on the earth like unto Savyasachin, son of Pandu, of prowess incapable of being baffled.  The celestial car of the holder of Gandiva is protected by the very gods.  He is incapable of being vanquished by human beings.  Do not, therefore, bend your mind to war!’”

SECTION LVIII