Chapter 68

“Sanjaya said, ‘Those adorable bowmen, Arjuna and Vasudeva, who areperfectly equal unto each other in respect of their godlike nature, havetaken their births of their own will. O lord, the discus owned byVasudeva, of abundant energy, occupieth a space full five cubits indiameter, is capable also of being hurled at the foe (in forms large orsmall) according to the will of the wielder himself, and it dependeth onillusion. Always conspicuous by its effulgence, it is invisible to theKurus; and in ascertaining the strength or weakness of the Pandavas, thatdiscus offers the best ground. Indeed, that scion of Madhu’s race, enduedwith great might, vanquished with an effort and in seeming playfulnessthe formidable Naraka and Samvara and Kansa and (Sisupala) the chief ofChedis. Possessed of divinity and of soul superior to everything, thatmost exalted of male beings can, by his will alone, bring the earth,firmament, and heaven under his control. Thou askest me repeatedly, Oking, about the Pandavas for knowing their strength and weakness. Listennow to all that in brief. If the whole universe be placed on one scaleand Janardana on the other, even then Janardana will outweigh the entireuniverse. Janardana, at his pleasure, can reduce the universe to ashes,but the entire universe is incapable of reducing Janardana to ashes.Wherever there is truthfulness, wherever virtue, wherever modesty,wherever simplicity, even there is Govinda. And thither where Krishna is,success must be. That soul of all creatures, most exalted of male beings,Janardana, guideth, as if in sport, the entire earth, the firmament, andthe heaven. Making the Pandavas the indirect means, and beguiling thewhole world. Janardana wisheth to blast thy wicked sons that are alladdicted to sin. Endued with divine attributes, Kesava, by the power ofhis soul causeth the wheel of Time, the wheel of the Universe, and thewheel of the Yuga, to revolve incessantly. And I tell thee truly thatglorious Being is alone the Lord of Time, of Death, and of this Universeof mobile and immobile objects. That great ascetic Hari, though the Lordof the whole Universe, still betaketh himself to work, like a humblelabourer that tilleth the fields. Indeed, Kesava beguileth all by the aidof His illusion. Those men, however, that have attained to Him are notdeceived.'”