“Arjuna said,—­’O thou that knoweth no deterioration, place my car (once) between the two armies, so that I may observe these that stand here desirous of battle, and with whom I shall have to contend in the labours of this struggle.[128] I will observe those who are assembled here and who are prepared to fight for doing what is agreeable in battle to the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.’”

Sanjaya continued,—–­’Thus addressed by Gudakesa, O Bharata, Hrishikesa, placing that excellent car between the two armies, in view of Bhishma and Drona and all the kings of the earth, said,—­’Behold, O Partha these assembled Kurus,—­And there the son of Pritha beheld, standing (his) sires and grandsons, and friends, and father-in-law and well-wishers, in both the armies.  Beholding all those kinsmen standing (there), the son of Kunti, possessed by excessive pity, despondingly said (these words).

“Arjuna said,—­’Beholding these kinsmen, O Krishna, assembled together and eager for the fight, my limbs, become languid, and my mouth becomes dry.  My body trembles, and my hair stands on end.  Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns.  I am unable to stand (any longer); my mind seems to wander.  I behold adverse omens, too, O Kesava.  I do not desire victory, O Krishna, not sovereignty, nor pleasures.  Of what use would sovereignty be to us, O Govinda, or enjoyments, or even life, since they, for whose sake sovereignty, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us, are here arrayed for battle ready to give up life and wealth, viz., preceptors, sires, sons and grandsires, maternal uncles, father-in-laws, grandsons, brother-in-laws, and kinsmen.  I wish not to slay these though they slay me, O slayer of Madhu, even for the sake of the sovereignty of the three worlds, what then for the sake of (this) earth?[129] What gratification can be ours, O Janardana, by slaying the Dhartarashtras?  Even if they be regarded as foes,[130] sin will overtake us if we slay them.  Therefore, it behoveth us not to slay the sons of Dhritarashtra who are our own kinsmen.[131] How, O Madhava can we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?  Even if these, with judgments perverted by avarice, do not see the evil that ariseth from the extermination of a race, and the sin of internecine quarrels, why should not we, O Janarddana, who see the evils of the extermination of a race, learn to abstain from that sin?  A race being destroyed, the eternal customs of that race are lost; and upon those customs being lost, sin overpowers the whole race.  From the predominance of sin, O Krishna, the women of that race become corrupt.  And the women becoming corrupt, an intermingling of castes happeneth, O descendant of Vrishni.  This intermingling of castes leadeth to hell both the destroyer of the race and the race itself.  The ancestors of those fall (from heaven), their rites of pinda and water ceasing.  By these sins of destroyers of races, causing intermixture of castes, the rules of caste and the eternal rites of families become extinct.  We have heard, O Janarddana, that men whose family rites become extinct, ever dwell in hell.  Alas, we have resolved to perpetrate a great sin, for we are ready to slay our own kinsmen from lust of the sweets of sovereignty.  Better would it be for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapon in hand, should in battle slay me (myself) unavenging unarmed.—­’”