assemble together on the field of Kuru.  Capable of smiting, they will cause one another to be slain through the instrumentality of hard weapons.  It is evident, O goddess, that thy burthen will then be lightened in battle.  Go quickly to thy own place and continue to bear the weight of creatures, O beauteous one!” From this thou wilt understand, O king, that thy son Duryodhana, born in Gandharis womb, was a portion of Kali, sprung for the object of causing a universal slaughter.  He was vindictive, restless, wrathful, and difficult of being gratified.  Through the influence of Destiny his brothers also became like him.  Shakuni became his maternal uncle and Karna his great friend.  Many other kings were born on earth for aiding in the work of destruction.  As the king is, so do his subjects become.  If the king becomes righteous, even unrighteousness (in his dominions) assumes the shape of righteousness.  Servants, without doubt, are affected by the merits and defects of their masters.  Those sons of thine, O king, having obtained a bad king, have all been destroyed.  Conversant with truth, Narada, knew all this.  Thy sons, through their own faults, have been destroyed, O king!  Do not grieve for them, O monarch!  There is no cause for grief.  The Pandavas have not, O Bharata, the least fault in what has happened.  Thy sons were all of wicked souls.  It is they that caused this destruction on earth.  Blessed be thou; Narada had truly informed Yudhishthira of all this in his court on the occasion of the rajasuya sacrifice, saying, “The Pandavas and the Kauravas, encountering each other, will meet with destruction.  Do that, O son of Kunti, which thou shouldst!” Upon these words of Narada, the Pandavas became filled with grief.  I have thus told thee that which is an eternal secret of the gods.  This will destroy thy grief and restore to thee a love of thy life-breath, and cause thee to cherish affection for the Pandavas, for all that has happened has been due to what had been ordained by the gods.  O thou of mighty arms, I had learnt all this sometime before.  I also spoke of it to king Yudhishthira the just on the occasion of his foremost of sacrifices, the rajasuya.  When I secretly informed him of all this, Dharmas son endeavoured his best for preserving peace with the Kauravas.  That, however, which is ordained by the gods proved too powerful (to be frustrated by him).  The fiat, O king of the Destroyer, is incapable of being baffled anyhow by mobile and immobile creatures.  Thou art devoted to virtue and possessed of superior intelligence, O Bharata!  Thou knowest also that which is the way and that which is not the way of all creatures.  If king Yudhishthira learns that thou art burning with grief and losing thy senses frequently, he will cast off his very life-breath.  He is always compassionate and possessed of wisdom.  His kindness extends even to all the inferior creatures.  How is it possible, O king, that he will not show compassion to thee, O monarch?  At my command,