Chapter 72

“Sanjaya said, ‘When the spies (of Duryodhana), having heard that louduproar made by the Pandavas desirous of victory, informed (their mastersof the cause), Jayadratha, overwhelmed with sorrow, and with heartstupefied with grief, and like one sinking in a fathomless ocean ofdistress, slowly rose up and having reflected for a long while, proceededto the assembly of the kings. Reflecting for a while in the presence ofthose gods among men, Jayadratha, in fear of Abhimanyu’s father andcovered with shame, said these words–He who in Pandu’s soil was begottenby Indra under the influence of desire, that wicked wretch is thinking ofdespatching me to the abode of Yama! Blessed be ye, I shall, therefore goback to my home from desire of life! Or, ye bulls among Kshatriyas,protect me by the force of your weapons! Partha seeks to slay me, yeheroes, render me fearless! Drona and Duryodhana and Kripa, and Karna,and the ruler of the Madras, and Valhika, and Dussasana and others, arecapable of protecting a person who is afflicted by Yama himself. Whenhowever, I am threatened by Phalguna alone, will not all these the lordsof earth, will not all of you, joined together, be able to protect me?Having heard the shouts of joy of the Pandavas, great hath been my fear.My limbs, ye lords of earth, have become powerless like those of a personon the point of death? Without doubt, the wielder of Gandiva hath swornfor my death! It is for this that the Pandavas are shouting in joy at atime when they should weep! Let alone the rulers of men, the very godsand Gandharvas, the Asuras, the Uragas, and the Rakshasas, cannot ventureto baffle a vow of Arjuna. Therefore, ye bulls among men, blessed be ye,give me permission (to leave the Kuru camp). I want to make myselfscarce. The Pandavas will no longer be able to find me! While indulgingin such lamentations, with heart agitated by fear, king Duryodhana,always looking upon the accomplishment of his own business to bepreferable to everything else, said unto him these words-Do not fear, Otiger among men! O bull among men, who will seek to encounter thee inbattle when thou will remain in the midst of these Kshatriya heroes!Myself, Vikartana’s son, Karna, Chitrasena, Vivinsati, Bhurisravas, Sala,Salya, the invincible Vrishasena, Purumitra, Jaya, Bhoja, Sudakshina theruler of the Kamvojas, Satyavrata, the mighty-armed, Vikarna, Durmukha,Dussasana, Subahu, the ruler of the Kalingas, with his weapons upraised,Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, Drona, Drona’s son, and Suvala’s son(Sakuni),–these and numerous other kings will, with their forces, facethe battle surrounding thee on all sides! Let the fever of thy heart,therefore, be dispelled! Thou art thyself one of the foremost ofcar-warriors! O thou of immeasurable splendour, thou thyself art a hero!Being what thou art how canst thou then see any cause of fear, O king ofthe Sindhus! The eleven Akshauhinis of troops I own will carefully fightfor protecting thee! Therefore, do not fear, O king of the Sindhus! Letthy fears be dispelled!’

‘Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus comforted, O monarch, by thy son, the king ofthe Sindhus then, accompanied by Duryodhana, repaired that very night toDrona (the generalissimo of the Kuru army). Then, O king, having touchedDrona’s feet with reverence, and taken his seat with humility, he askedthe preceptor these words–In hitting the aim, in hitting it from itdistance, in tightness of hand, and in the force of the stroke, Oillustrious one, tell the difference between myself and Phalguna! Opreceptor, I wish to know accurately the difference as regardsproficiency (in the science of arms) between myself and Arjuna! Say itunto me truly’

“Drona said, ‘Of tutorial instruction, both of you, i.e., thyself andArjuna, have had the same measure, O son! In consequence, however, ofyoga and the hard life led by Arjuna, he is superior to thee! Thoushouldst not, however, for any reason, cherish fear of Partha! Withoutdoubt, I will, O son, protect thee from this fear! The very gods, cannotprevail over him who is protected by my arms! I will form an array whichPartha will not succeed in piercing![127] Therefore contained thou inbattle, do not fear, observing the duties of thy own order! O mightycar-warrior, tread in the track of thy sires and grandsires! Having dulystudied the Vedas, thou hast poured libations, according to theordinance, into fire! Thou hast also performed many sacrifices: Deathcannot, therefore, be an object of terror to thee! (For if thou diest),attaining then to that great good fortune which is unattainable by vilemen, thou will acquire all those excellent regions in heaven that areattainable by the might of one’s arms! The Kaurvas, the Pandavas, theVrishnis, and other men, as also myself with my son, are all mortal andshort-lived! Think of this. One after another, all of us, slain by Timewhich is all powerful, shall go to the other world, carrying with us onlyour respective deeds I Those regions that ascetics acquire by undergoingsevere penances, those regions are acquired by heroic Kshatriyas that areobservant of the duties of their order. Even thus was the ruler of theSindhus consoled by Bharadwaja’s son. Banishing his fear of Partha, heset his heart on battle. Then, O king thy troops also felt great delight,and the loud sounds of musical instruments were heard, mingled withleonine shouts.'”