had hitherto consisted of fourteen days, or fifteen days (as usual), or sixteen days.  This, however, I never knew that the day of new-moon would be on the thirteenth day from the first lunation, or the day of full-moon on the thirteenth day from the same.  And yet in course of the same month both the Moon and the Sun have undergone eclipses on the thirteenth days from the day of the first lunation.[20] The Sun and the Moon therefore, by undergoing eclipses on unusual days,[21] will cause a great slaughter of the creatures of the earth.  Indeed, Rakshasas, though drinking blood by mouthful, will yet not be satiated.  The great rivers are flowing in opposite directions.  The waters of rivers have become bloody.  The wells, foaming up, are bellowing like bulls.[22] Meteors, effulgent like Indra’s thunder-bolt, fall with loud hisses.[23] When this night passeth away, evil consequences will overtake you.  People, for meeting together, coming out of their houses with lighted brands, have still to encounter a thick gloom all round.[24] Great Rishis have said that in view of such circumstances the earth drinks the blood of thousands of kings.  From the mountains of Kailasa and Mandara and Himavat thousands of explosions are heard and thousands of summits are tumbling down.  In consequence of the Earth’s trembling, each of the four oceans having swelled greatly, seems ready to transgress its continents for afflicting the Earth.[25] Fierce winds charged with pointed pebbles are blowing, crushing mighty trees.  In villages and towns trees, ordinary and sacred, are falling down, crushed by mighty winds and struck by lightning.  The (sacrificial) fire, when Brahmanas pour libations on it, becomes blue, or red, or yellow.  Its flames bend towards the left, yielding a bad scent, accompanied by loud reports.  Touch, smell, and taste have, O monarch, become what they were not.  The standards (of warriors), repeatedly trembling are emitting smoke.  Drums and cymbals are throwing off showers of coal-dust.  And from the tops of tall trees all around, crows, wheeling in circles from the left, are uttering fierce cries.  All of them again are uttering frightful cries of pakka, pakka and are perching upon the tops of standards for the destruction of the kings.  Vicious elephants, trembling all over, are running hither and thither, urinating and ejecting excreta.  The horses are all melancholy, while the elephants are resorting to the water.  Hearing all this, let that be done which is suitable, so that, O Bharata, the world may not be depopulated.’”

Vaisampayana continued,—­“Hearing these words of his father, Dhritarashtra said,—­’I think all this hath been ordained of old.  A great slaughter of human beings will take place.  If the kings die in battle observing the duties of the Kshatriya order, they will then, attaining to the regions reserved for heroes, obtain only happiness.  These tigers among men, casting away their lives in great battle, will win fame in this and great bliss for ever in the next world.’