Chapter 51

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘All these named by thee are, indeed, endued withgreat courage, but all of them together are equal to Bhima singly. Myfear, O child, from the wrathful Bhima is, indeed, very great, like thatof fat deer from an enraged tiger. I pass all my nights in sleeplessness,breathing deep and hot sighs afraid of Vrikodara, O child, like an animalof any other species afraid of the lion. Of mighty arms, and in energyequal unto Sakra himself, I see not in this whole army even one that canwithstand him in battle. Exceedingly wrathful and determined inanimosity, that son of Kunti and Pandu smileth not even in jest, is madwith rage, casteth his glances obliquely, and speaketh in a voice ofthunder. Of great impetuosity and great courage, of long arms and greatmight, he will not, in battle, leave even one of my foolish sons alive.Indeed, Vrikodara, that bull among the Kurus, whirling his mace inbattle, will, like a second Yama mace in hand slay all my sons who areafflicted by a heavy calamity. Even now I see that terrible mace of his,with eight sides made of steel, and adorned with gold, uplifted like aBrahmana’s curse. As a lion of mighty strength among a flock of deer,Bhima will range among my troops. He only (amongst his brothers) alwaysdisplayed his strength cruelly towards my sons. Eating voraciously, andendued with great impetuosity, from his very childhood he hath beenbehaving inimically towards my children. My heart trembleth (to remember)that even in their childhood, Duryodhana and other sons of mine, whilefighting with him (sportively) were always ground down by theelephant-like Bhima. Alas, my sons have always been oppressed by hismight, and it is that Bhima of terrible prowess that hath been the causeof this rupture. Even now I behold Bhima, mad with rage, fighting in thevery van, and devouring the whole of my host consisting of men,elephants, and steeds. Equal unto Drona and Arjuna in weapons, his speedequal unto the velocity of the wind, and in wrath like unto Maheswarahimself, who is there, O Sanjaya, that would slay that wrathful andterrible hero in battle? I think it to be a great gain that my sons werenot even then slain by that slayer of enemies who is endued with suchenergy. How can a human being withstand the impetuosity of that warriorin battle who slew Yakshas and Rakshasas of terrible might before? OSanjaya, even in his childhood he was never completely under my control.Injured by my wicked sons, how can that son of Pandu come under mycontrol now? Cruel and extremely wrathful, he would break but not bend.Of oblique glances and contracted eye-brows, how can he be induced toremain quiet? Endued with heroism, of incomparable might and faircomplexion, tall like a palmyra tree, and in height taller than Arjuna bythe span of the thumb, the second son of Pandu surpasseth the very steedsin swiftness, and elephants in strength, speaketh in indistinct accents,and possesseth eyes having the hue of honey. As regards form and might,even such was he in his very boyhood, as I truly heard long before fromthe lips of Vyasa! Terrible and possessed of cruel might, when angry hewill destroy in battle with his iron-mace cars and elephants and men andhorses. By acting against his wishes, that foremost of smiters who isever wrathful and furious, hath before been, O child, insulted by me.Alas, how will my sons bear that mace of his which is straight, made ofsteel, thick, of beautiful sides, adorned with gold, capable of slaying ahundred, and producing a terrible sound when hurled at the foe? Alas, Ochild, my foolish sons are desirous of crossing that inaccessible oceanconstituted by Bhima, which is really shoreless, without a raft on it,immeasurable in depth, and full of currents impetuous as the course ofarrows. Fools in reality though boasting of their wisdom, alas, mychildren do not listen to me even though I cry out. Beholding only thehoney they do not see the terrible fall that is before them. They thatwill rush to battle with Death himself in that human shape, are certainlydoomed to destruction by the Supreme Ordainer, like animals within thelion’s view. Full four cubits in length, endued with six sides and greatmight, and having also a deadly touch, when he will hurl his mace from’the sting, how shall my sons, O child, bear its impetus? Whirling hismace and breaking therewith the heads of (hostile) elephants, lickingwith his tongue the corners of his mouth and drawing long breaths, whenhe will rush with loud roars against mighty elephants, returning theyells of those infuriated beasts that might rush against him, and whenentering the close array of cars he will slay, after taking proper aim,the chief warriors before him, what mortal of my party will escape fromhim looking like a blazing flame? Crushing my forces and cutting apassage through them, that mighty armed hero, dancing with mace in hand,will exhibit the scene, witnessed during the universal Dissolution at theend of a Yuga. Like an infuriated elephant crushing trees adorned withflowers, Vrikodara, in battle will, furiously penetrate the ranks of mysons. Depriving my warriors of their cars, drivers, steeds, andflag-staff, and afflicting all warriors fighting from cars and the backsof elephants, that tiger among men will, O Sanjaya, like the impetuouscurrent of Ganga throwing down diverse trees standing on its banks, crushin battle the troops of my sons. Without doubt, O Sanjaya, afflicted bythe fear of Bhimasena, my sons and their dependents and all the alliedkings will fly in different directions. It was this Bhima who, havingentered of old, with Vasudeva’s aid, the innermost apartments ofJarasandha, overthrew that king endued with great energy; that lord ofMagadha, the mighty Jarasandha, having fully brought under his subjectionthe goddess Earth, oppressed her by his energy. That the Kauravas inconsequence of Bhishma’s prowess, and the Andhakas and the Vrishnis inconsequence of their policy, could not be subjugated by him was due onlyto their good fortune. What could be more wonderful than that the heroicson of Pandu, of mighty arms and without any weapons, having approachedthat king, slew him in a trice? Like a venomous snake, whose poison hathaccumulated for years, Bhima will, O Sanjaya, vomit in battle the poisonof his wrath upon my sons! Like the foremost of the celestials, the greatIndra, smiting the Danavas with his thunderbolt, Bhimasena will, mace inhand, slay all my sons! Incapable of being withstood or resisted, offierce impetus and powers, and with eyes of a coppery hue, I behold evennow that Vrikodara failing upon my sons. Without mace or bow, without caror coat of mail, fighting with his bare arms only, what man is there thatcan stand before him? Bhishma, that regenerate Drona, and Kripa the sonof Saradwat,–these are as much acquainted as I myself with the energy ofthe intelligent Bhima. Acquainted with the practice of those that arenoble, and desirous of death in battle, these bulls among men will taketheir stand in the van of our army. Destiny is everywhere powerful,especially in the case of a male person, for beholding the victory of thePandavas in battle, I do not yet restrain my sons. These mighty bowmen ofmine, desirous of treading in that ancient track leading up to heaven,will lay down their lives in battle, taking care, however, of earthlyfame. O child, my sons are the same to these mighty bowmen as thePandavas are to them, for all of them are grandsons of Bhishma anddisciples of Drona and Kripa. O Sanjaya, the little acceptable servicesthat we have been able to do unto these three venerable ones, willcertainly be repaid by them owing to their own noble dispositions. It issaid that death in battle of a Kshatriya, who hath taken up arms anddesireth to observe Kshatriya practices is, indeed, both good andmeritorious. I weep, however, for all those that will fight against thePandavas. That very danger hath now come which was foreseen by Vidura atthe outset. It seems, O Sanjaya, that wisdom is incapable of dispellingwoe; on the other hand, it is overwhelming woe that dispelleth wisdom.When the very sages, that are emancipated from all worldly concerns andthat behold, standing aloof, all the affairs of the universe, areaffected by prosperity and adversity, what wonder is there that I shouldgrieve, I who have my affections fixed on a thousand things such as sons,kingdom, wives, grandsons, and relatives? What good can possibly be instore for me on the accession of such a frightful danger? Reflecting onevery circumstance, I see the certain destruction of the Kurus. Thatmatch at dice seems to be the cause of this great danger of the Kurus.Alas, this sin was committed from temptation by foolish Duryodhana,desirous of wealth; I believe all this to be the untoward effect ofever-fleeting Time that bringeth on everything. Tied to the wheel ofTime, like its periphery, I am not capable of flying away from it. Tellme, O Sanjaya, where shall I go? What shall I do, and, how shall I do it?These foolish Kauravas will all be destroyed, their Time having come.Helplessly I shall have to hear the wailing of women when my hundred sonswill all be slain. Oh, how may death come upon me? As a blazing fire inthe summer season., when urged by the wind, consumeth dry grass, so willBhima, mace in hand, and united with Arjuna, slay all on my side!'”