unto Indra or Upendra in prowess,—­I behold that great warrior committing a great havoc in this terrible battle.  O Bharata, reflecting day and night on this, I am unhappy and sleepless, through anxiety for the welfare of the Kurus.  A terrible destruction is about to overtake the Kurus, if there is nothing but Peace for ending this quarrel.  I am for peace with the Parthas and not for war.  O child, I always deem the Pandavas mightier than the Kurus.’”

SECTION LXI

“Vaisampayana said, ’Hearing these words of his father, the passionate son of Dhritarashtra inflamed with great wrath, again said these words, of envy, of ’Thou thinkest the Parthas having the celestials for their allies, are incapable of being vanquished.  Let this thy fear, O best of kings, be dispelled.  The gods attained to their divinity for absence of desire, covetousness, and of enmity, as also for their indifference to all worldly affairs.  Formerly, Dwaipayana-Vyasa and Narada of great ascetic austerities, and Rama, the son of Jamadagni, told us this.  The gods never like human beings engage in work, O bull of the Bharata race, from desire, or wrath, or covetousness, or envy.  Indeed, if Agni, or Vayu, or Dharma, or Indra, or the Aswins had ever engaged themselves in works from worldly desire, then the sons of Pritha could never have fallen into distress.  Do not, therefore, by any means, indulge in such anxiety, because the gods, O Bharata, always set their eyes on affairs worthy of themselves.  If, however, envy or lust become noticeable in the gods in consequence of their yielding to desire, then, according to what has been ordained by the gods themselves, such envy or Just can never prevail.  Charmed by me, Agni will be instantly extinguished, even if he blazes up all around for consuming all creatures.  The energy with which the gods are endued is, indeed, great, but know, O Bharata, that mine is greater than that of the gods.  If the Earth herself cleaves in twain, or mountain crests split, I can re-unite them, O king, by my incantations before the eyes of all.  If for the destruction of this universe of animate and inanimate, mobile and immobile creatures, there happeneth a terrific tempest or stony shower of loud roar, I can always, from compassion for created beings, stop it before the eyes of all.  When the waters are solidified by me, even cars and infantry can move over them.  It is I who set agoing all the affairs of both gods and Asuras.  Unto whatever countries I go with my Akshauhinis on any mission, my steeds move whithersoever I desire.  Within my dominions there are no fearful snakes, and protected by my incantations, creatures within my territories are never injured by others that are frightful.  The very clouds, O king, pour, as regards those dwelling in my dominions, showers as much as they desire and when they desire.  All my subjects, again, are devoted to religion and are never subject to calamities of season.  The