trackless wilderness of sin.  One should not cast weapons upon kine, brahmanas, kings, women, friends, one’s own mother, one’s own preceptor, a weak man, an idiot, a blind man, a sleeping man, a terrified man, one just arisen from sleep, an intoxicated person, a lunatic and one that is heedless.  The preceptors of old always inculcated this truth upon men.  I have, however, by disregarding the eternal way pointed out by the scriptures, and by essaying to tread in a wrong path, fallen into terrible distress.  The wise have called that to be a terrible calamity when one falls back, through fear, from a great feat after having essayed to achieve it.  I am unable, by putting forth only my skill and might, to achieve that which I have vowed.

Human exertion is never regarded more efficacious than destiny.  If any human action that is commenced does not succeed through destiny, the actor becomes like one who falling off from the path of righteousness, is lost in the wilderness of sin.  The sages speak of defeat as foolishness when one having commenced an act swerves from it through fear.  In consequence of the wickedness of my essay, this great calamity has come upon me, otherwise Drona’s son would never had been forced to hold back from battle.  This being, again whom I see before me, is most wonderful!  He stands there like the uplifted rod of divine chastisement.  Reflecting even deeply, I cannot recognise who this being is.  Without doubt, that being is the terrible fruit of this sinful determination of mine that I had essayed to achieve unrighteously.  He standeth there for baffling that determination.  It seems, therefore, that in my case this falling off from fight had been ordained by destiny.  It is not for me to exert for the accomplishment of this my purpose unless destiny becomes favourable.  I shall, therefore, at this hour, seek the protection of the puissant Mahadeva!  He will dispel this dreadful rod of divine chastisement uplifted before me.  I will take the shelter of that god, that source of everything beneficial, the lord of Uma, otherwise called Kapardin, decked with a garland of human skulls, that plucker of Bhaga’s eyes called also Rudra and Hara.  In ascetic austerities and prowess, he far surpasses all the gods.  I shall, therefore, seek the protection of Girisha armed with the trident.”

7

Sanjaya said, “The son of Drona, O monarch, having reflected thus, descended from the terrace of his car and stood, bending his head unto that supreme god.  And he said, “I seek the protection of Him called Ugra, Sthanu, Shiva, Rudra, Sharva, Ishana, Ishvara, Girisha; and of that boon-giving god who is the Creator and Lord of the universe; of Him whose throat is blue, who is without birth, who is called Shakra, who destroyed the sacrifice of Daksha, and who is called Hara; of Him whose form is the universe, who hath three eyes, who is possessed of multifarious forms, and who is the lord of Uma; of Him who resides