“Sanjaya continued, ’Hearing these words of Bhishma, king Duryodhana then asked Drona, O monarch, that foremost one of Angira’s race, saying, ’O preceptor, in what time canst thou annihilate the troops of Pandu’s son?’ Thus addressed by him, Drona said smilingly, ’I am old, O mighty-armed one!  My energy and activity have both become weak.  With the fire of my weapons I can consume the army of the Pandavas, like Santanu’s son Bhishma, I think, in a month’s time.’  Even this is the limit of my power, even this is the limit of my strength.’  Then Saradwat’s son Kripa said that he could annihilate the foe in two month’s time.  Dron’s son (Aswatthaman) pledged himself to annihilate the Pandava army in ten nights, Karna, however, acquainted as he was with weapons of high efficacy, pledged himself to achieve that feat in five days.  Hearing the words of the Suta’s son the son of the ocean-going (Ganga) laughed aloud and said, ’As long, O son of Radha, as thou encounterest not in battle Partha with his arrows, conch, and bows and rushing to the combat on his car with Vasudeva in his company, so long mayest thou think so!  Why, thou art capable of saying anything, even what thou pleasest!’”

SECTION CXCVII

“Vaisampayana said, ’Hearing these words (of the leaders of the Kuru army), Kunti’s son Yudhishthira, summoning all his brothers, said unto them these words in private.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’The spies I had placed in the army of Dhritarashtra’s son, brought me this news in the morning.  Duryodhana. asked Ganga’s son of great vows, saying, ’O lord, in what time cant thou annihilate the troops of Pandu’s sons?’ Indeed, the wicked Duryodhana was answered by him in these words, viz.,—­In a month!  Drona also declared that he could do the same feat in about the same time.  Gautama (Kripa) indicated twice that period, as hath been heard by us.  Drona’s son acquainted with weapons of high efficacy declared the period (in his case) to be ten nights.  Karna also, acquainted with weapons of high efficacy, asked in the midst of the Kurus, declared that the could complete the slaughter in five days.  Therefore, I also, O Arjuna, am desirous of hearing thy words, ’In what time canst thou, O Falguni, exterminate the foe?’ Thus addressed by the king, Dhananjaya of curly hair, casting a look upon Vasudeva, said these words, ’All these (Bhishma and others) are high-souled (warriors), accomplished in arms and acquainted with all modes of warfare.  Without doubt, O king, they can exterminate (our forces) even thus!  Let thy heart’s anguish, however, be dispelled.  I tell thee truly that with Vasudeva as my ally, I can, on a single car, exterminate the three worlds with even the immortals, indeed, all mobile creatures that were, are, will be, in the twinkling of the eye.  This is what I think.  That terrible and mighty weapon which the Lord of all creatures (Mahadeva) gave me on the occasion of my hand-to-hand